Rangia College in Assam’s Kamrup district turned into a flashpoint last week after posters of the late music icon Zubeen Garg were found torn during student election campaigning.
The incident, caught on video, has sparked outrage across Assam — igniting political blame games and raising serious questions about police inaction and cultural disrespect.
Campus clash turns cultural flashpoint
What began as a campus election fight between the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has snowballed into a debate over Assamese identity and the politicisation of student spaces.
The clash broke out on November 7, a day before the college elections. Witnesses said the fight began near the college gate and quickly escalated.
“They came shouting slogans and started hitting us. One of our boys was struck on the head and had to be taken to hospital,” said an AASU member who was present.
Soon after, a video surfaced showing several young men tearing down a large Zubeen Garg poster carrying the Roi Roi Binale title and the hashtag #JusticeForZubeenGarg. As they ripped it apart, voices in the background shouted “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” 
Zubeen’s image, Assam’s pride
For many in Assam, Zubeen Garg wasn’t just an artist — he was a movement. His songs, activism, and outspokenness made him a cultural symbol. His sudden death in Singapore in September left the state in mourning and disbelief.
The tearing of his poster, especially one linked to his last film, has struck an emotional nerve.
“It wasn’t just paper being torn,” said a local student. “It was Zubeen Da’s dignity — and the pride of Assam.”
ABVP denies involvement
Facing public backlash, ABVP denied any role in the incident.
“We were putting up our banners when we got reports that our boys were being beaten by AASU. There was confusion, and someone said a banner was torn — but that was not Zubeen Da’s poster,” said Shivanan Kotoki, ABVP’s organising secretary for Kamrup and South.
Kotoki claimed that Bajrang Dal leader Hirakjyoti Kalita was injured during the scuffle. “He was hit on the head by an AASU member. We’ve submitted all medical proof to the police,” he added.
Kamrup SSP Sanjib Kumar Saikia said the case is under investigation.
“We are verifying both sides’ claims and the video evidence. Our priority is a fair probe and preventing escalation,” he told Northeast Scoop.
But locals and journalists say the investigation is slow and one-sided.
“They have the video, they have the names — yet nothing has moved,” said a local reporter. “This silence tells people that cultural disrespect can go unpunished.”
AASU’s ‘clarification’ raises questions
Days after the clash, AASU released a video statement saying, “No ABVP or Bajrang Dal member tore Zubeen’s poster.”
The timing of the video has raised eyebrows. Many in Rangia allege that the statement was made under pressure.
“ABVP told them they would withdraw their police case only if AASU released that video,” claimed a student. “It was a forced compromise. Everyone knows who did it, but no one wants more trouble before exams.”
If true, it points to intimidation and shrinking democratic space on Assam’s campuses.
Eyewitness Contradiction
A journalist who witnessed the incident told Northeast Scoop:
“The video is real. I saw them tearing the poster. It was clearly Zubeen Da’s photo with the Roi Roi Binale title. ABVP boys were shouting slogans while ripping it down. It was deliberate.”
He said the act left many students in tears. “People were shouting, saying this was an insult to Assam.”
Cultural outrage across Assam
Artists and fans have condemned the act as “cultural vandalism.”
“Zubeen Da stood for Assamese pride and the common man,” said a Guwahati-based musician. “Tearing his image is not just political — it’s an insult to an entire people.”
The hashtags #JusticeForZubeenGarg and #BoycottABVP have since trended across social media, demanding accountability and apology.
Similar incidents of poster defacement were reported earlier this year in Kokrajhar, raising fears of a pattern — where politics targets the state’s cultural icons.
Colleges Under Political Siege
“The problem is bigger than Rangia,” said a retired professor of Rangia College. “Student elections are now proxy wars for political organisations. Campus issues have taken a back seat. Violence and intimidation are the new normal.”
He added, “When police act selectively, it sends a message — that power matters more than truth.”
What Next?
AASU won the Rangia College election on November 8, but the tension hasn’t eased. ABVP and Bajrang Dal have held small protests outside the police station, demanding arrests of AASU members.
Meanwhile, public anger over the torn poster — and police silence — continues to grow.
Unanswered questions
• Who actually tore the poster — and why?
• Why did the police act against one group but not the other?
• Was AASU’s clarification video issued under pressure?
• Why are cultural icons repeatedly targeted in political fights?
Until these questions are answered, Assam’s anger will not rest.
For now, the police stay silent, ABVP stays defensive, and AASU appears cornered — but the people’s voice is getting louder.
