Assamese singer Zubeen Garg threatened to launch an agitation. (Photo: Zubeen Garg/ Facebook) Assamese singer Zubeen Garg threatened to launch an agitation. (Photo: Zubeen Garg/ Facebook)

A case has been filed against Assamese singer Zubeen Garg for allegedly using “unparliamentary” language defaming the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in an audio clip doing the rounds on Whatsapp.

The FIR was lodged at the Lanka Police station in Assam’s Hojai district on Saturday morning by Satya Ranjan Borah, State Vice President BJP, Kisan Morcha, Assam Pradesh.

“I don’t have any personal problem with Zubeen Garg but the way he has been behaving cannot be accepted for a healthy and cultured Assamese society,” said a statement on Borah’s Facebook profile.

While it has not been verified if the clip was actually recorded by Garg, Borah said that “it will impact the youth negatively.” “Zubeen Garg is an institution. He has a massive following,” said Borah.

Garg has been extremely vocal in his opposition to the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill — which has seen massive protests in Assam and across the Northeast — and has even composed a song Politics Nokoriba Bandhu in protest against the issue.

Borah said that he received the clip on Friday night after the Bharat Ratna honours were announced. “It is not appropriate to repeat what he said on any forum so I will avoid doing that. By defaming the Bharat Ratna, he has insulted the Dr Bhupen Hazarika too — the voice and pride of Assam,” he said.

Assamese cultural icon Dr Bhupen Hazarika was posthumously honoured with the Bharat Ratna on January 25.

In the FIR, Borah urged the police to “do a necessary investigation so that this kind of anti national and anti social activities can be prevented in the coming days.”

“We registered the FIR this morning — the case (35/2019) is registered under Section 294, 500, 506 of IPC and 67 of IT Act,” confirmed AP Srimanta Sarmah, Officer in-charge Lanka police station.

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