Who Really Forced the Assam Govt to Act on Zubeen Kshetra?

Guwahati: It was not a politician, bureaucrat or celebrity who first raised the alarm over the neglected state of Zubeen Kshetra. Instead, it was a Guwahati cab driver whose emotional video turned into a catalyst for change.

Bulbul Hussain, a city-based cab driver, had expressed anger and embarrassment over the condition of the memorial dedicated to music legend Zubeen Garg after dropping tourists from Kolkata at the site. In a video that went viral on social media, Hussain criticised the dusty surroundings, lack of basic maintenance, and the presence of small shops selling tobacco products near the memorial.

“From today onwards I will not come to Zubeen Kshetra anymore. I feel embarrassed to call myself an Assamese,” Hussain said in the video.
“A family came all the way from Kolkata to visit the Kshetra and asked me, ‘Is this the condition of the place?’ There is dust everywhere. No one even sprinkles water. What is the need for these small shops? Today they sell tobacco, tomorrow they will sell ganja. It is the government’s responsibility to properly develop the Kshetra and preserve Zubeen’s legacy among us,” he added.

The video quickly spread across social media platforms, triggering public debate and outrage over the neglect of the memorial. The clip was also shared by Zubeen Garg’s family members, amplifying the issue further.

Earlier, Zubeen Garg’s sister, Palmee Borthakur, publicly expressed disappointment over the condition of the memorial and questioned the lack of a proper management system.

“Zubeen Garg illuminated Assam and the Assamese on the world stage, but we could not even keep his final resting place clean. Why is the construction of Zubeen Kshetra stalled? Why is there no proper system to run it? Why are the government and people so indifferent?” she wrote on social media, urging authorities to transform the memorial into a world-class tourist destination.

The issue eventually reached Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who acknowledged that earlier attempts to regulate the area had faced backlash from the public.

“I myself did not take the step earlier because people started abusing me when I tried to impose a time limit and SOP at the Kshetra. But after Zubeen Garg’s family requested me, I directed the administration to remove the shops placed before the Kshetra and start constructing the boundary walls,” Sarma said.

Following the Chief Minister’s directive, the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration launched immediate action. All small vendors and kiosks in front of the memorial have been removed, and a clean-up drive has been launched to tackle the dust and disorder. Construction of a boundary wall is expected to begin shortly. 

Meanwhile, speaking to DY365 on Tuesday, cab driver Bulbul Hussain thanked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for taking action after his video went viral. “Zubeen is our emotion. It is our collective responsibility, along with the state government, to preserve Zubeen Kshetra,” Hussain said.

Also Read: Fireflies in The Dark: Zubeen Da’s Mukti Three Decades On