'Gamosa', 'Nahor' Sapling: How Rahul Gandhi Paid Tribute to Zubeen Garg in Guwahati

Guwahati: Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday paid tribute to singer Zubeen Garg at the site where his last rites were performed at Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati.Gandhi

offered a 'gamosa', the traditional Assamese scarf, and a wreath at the platform where the singer was cremated.He was accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, AICC general secretary and Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh, leader of the opposition in the legislative assembly Debabrata Saikia and other senior state leaders of the party.As Gandhi offered tribute to the singer, the crowd present at the site shouted slogans - 'Justice for Zubeen' and 'Joy Zubeen'.Gandhi and the other Congress leaders sat on the ground and attended the ‘naam-kirtan’ (prayers) held there.The Congress leader also planted a 'nahor' (Indian rose chestnut) sapling, which the singer was fond of, at the cremation ground.Gandhi will also visit the singer's residence to convey his condolences to the bereaved family members before leaving for New Delhi, a party leader said.Garg, 52, died in Singapore while swimming in the sea on September 19. He was cremated with state honours on September 23 at Sonapur near Guwahati.The Assam government formed an SIT that has been investigating the circumstances that led to his death.Gogoi had on Thursday visited the site, where Garg was cremated, to review the arrangements for Gandhi's visit.Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Thursday said that Rahul Gandhi's visit to pay tribute to cultural icon Zubeen Garg was after 28 days of his death, but it was still ''better late than never''.''We had expected a senior Congress leader like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi or someone else to be present at the singer's cremation," the chief minister had said at a press conference.Sarma welcomed Gandhi's visit to the state.