Guwahati: The five-day winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin on Tuesday, with a heavy legislative agenda and an emotionally charged atmosphere as the House prepares to confront public outrage over the mysterious death of singer, musician and actor Zubeen Garg — one of Assam’s most beloved cultural icons.
The session will open with obituary references, followed by the Question Hour, but the day is expected to be stormy. Several MLAs are likely to demand an adjournment to discuss the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death, which has stirred grief and anger across the state. Many lawmakers say the Assembly must first address the concerns of people still mourning the loss of an artist they grew up with — a sentiment shared widely across social media and in local communities.
The BJP-led government, however, is also preparing to introduce a series of politically significant bills during the session. These include proposed legislation to ban polygamy and so-called “Love Jihad”, as well as a Bill aimed at preserving and protecting Assam’s Sattras — the historic Vaishnavite monasteries central to Assamese culture and identity.
In a first, the government will table the report of a non-government commission formed by civil society groups to examine incidents of violence during the anti-infiltration Assam Agitation of the 1980s. The Justice (Retd.) T.U. Mehta Commission — constituted by the Mukti Jujaru Sanmilan and the agitators — is expected to offer fresh insights into a turbulent chapter of Assam’s political history. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which played a frontline role in the movement, has welcomed the decision, saying the report should be made public “so that people can get to know all sides.”
The six-year-long Assam Agitation culminated in the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985, but the issues at its core — particularly illegal migration — remain politically sensitive even today. The Tewary Commission report, which was tabled in 1987, offered one of the earliest official assessments, though only one copy had been sent to the Speaker at the time.
Tuesday’s proceedings will also see the laying of ordinances and reports, presentation of committee reports, election of members to various statutory bodies, and introduction of government bills. Speaker Biswajit Daimary will announce the Business Advisory Committee’s report setting the schedule for the session and name members of the panel of Chairpersons under Assembly rules.
The session will continue with Question Hour on November 26, while November 28 will include Private Members’ Business followed by urgent government business. On November 29, the House will again take up Question Hour before moving to the consideration and passing of government bills.
Amid legislative procedures and political debates, many in the Assembly acknowledge that the human mood outside the House will shape the tone of the first day. “People are grieving, and they want answers,” said a senior legislator on Monday. “Zubeen was not just a singer — he was part of our homes, our youth, our identity. The Assembly cannot ignore that.”
