“I meant 30,000, not 3,000”: BJP MLA Vijay Gupta apologises over Zubeen remark

Guwahati Central BJP MLA Vijay Gupta has apologised over his remarks regarding music icon Zubeen Garg’s musical career, saying that he had mistakenly stated “more than 3,000 songs” instead of “more than 30,000 songs.”

In a post shared on Facebook, Gupta described the statement as an inadvertent error and tendered an apology.

“I should have said more than 30,000, but mistakenly said more than 3,000,” Gupta wrote, adding that he was sincerely sorry for the mistake.

The clarification came after Gupta’s earlier remarks drew reactions on social media. Singer Simanta Shekhar had also responded, urging the MLA to properly study Zubeen Garg’s music, contributions and place in Assam’s society and culture before commenting publicly.

Shekhar said that while Gupta may have his own political identity, respect for Assam’s culture, emotions and artistes should remain above political differences. He urged the MLA to maintain that respect while speaking about Zubeen Garg.

In his apology, Gupta described Zubeen as the “soul and heartbeat of Assam” and said his respect and affection for the artiste remained sincere. He further said he wanted to work towards preserving Zubeen’s music and legacy and carrying it forward for future generations.

Published accounts of Garg’s career commonly place his recorded output at more than 38,000 songs across numerous languages and dialects, underscoring the scale of his musical legacy.

The episode comes just after Assam observed the first death anniversary of Zubeen Garg on September 19, with fans, artistes, organisations and political leaders across the state paying tribute to the singer and remembering his contribution to Assamese music and culture.