"Study Zubeen Garg first!”: Singer Simanta Shekhar hits back at BJP MLA Vijay Gupta
Simanta Shekhar has asked BJP MLA Vijay Gupta to study Zubeen Garg's work before commenting on the singer. His response has intensified public discussion over respect for Assam's cultural figures during ongoing tributes to Garg.
- Sep 20, 2026,
- Updated Sep 20, 2026, 3:41 PM IST
Singer Simanta Shekhar has reacted to remarks made by BJP MLA Vijay Gupta on music icon Zubeen Garg, urging the legislator to study Garg’s music, contributions and place in Assam’s cultural landscape before making public comments.
In a social media message, Shekhar said Gupta may have his own political identity, but that should not be a reason to support what he described as uninformed or insensitive remarks about a cultural figure like Zubeen Garg.
The remarks come amid reactions to comments attributed to Gupta about Zubeen Garg’s musical career. Gupta reportedly claimed that Garg had sung around 3,000 songs in 40 languages and also referred to “Mission China” while discussing the singer’s work.
However, available published accounts of Zubeen Garg’s career put the number of songs he recorded substantially higher, with multiple reports citing more than 38,000 songs across around 40 languages and dialects.
“Mission China” was, in fact, a 2016 Assamese film in which Zubeen Garg was involved, and its soundtrack was released under his name.
Shekhar said political differences should remain separate from respect for Assam’s culture and artistes, stressing that Zubeen Garg’s contribution should be discussed with an understanding of his musical journey and wider cultural impact.
The singer’s comments have added to the ongoing public discussion surrounding Zubeen Garg, whose first death anniversary was observed across Assam on September 19, with tributes continuing to pour in from fans, artistes and public figures.