GUWAHATI: Arun Das, a popular singer of the 90s was admitted to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) after being diagnosed with COVID-19. But, he was allegedly left to languish there without anyone attending to his needs.
In a video message, Das expressed that he and his wife were alone in the hospital. "We are just two people, me and my wife. I eat what they give but at times I feel like having ORS but there is no one to even bring me anything," said Das.
Once a popular icon in the Assamese music industry, Arun Das has disappeared from the public eye in recent years. However, his fans who're still sentimental about his music, stormed Twitter after the video of Arun Das surfaced.
Many of his hit songs including ‘Ketiyaba Ojanite’, ‘Tumi Janu Jana’, ‘Atori Atori’, ‘Mur Ei Morom’ were even shared on social media as a nostalgic ode to the singer.
Following the video, the matter was raised on social media with netizens tagging Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Health Minister Keshab Mahanta. Veteran filmmaker-film critic Utpal Borpujari even urged the Assam government to credit Das with artist pension.
Senior Congress leader Bobbeeta Sharma too raised the issue on Twitter. "I hope Department of Culture, @mygovassam will look into it seriously and also extend all help to artist Arun Das and his wife in GMCH," the Congress leader posted on Twitter.
Health Minister Keshav Mahanta assured that the matter will be looked into and necessary actions will be taken.
Following the uproar on social media, the singer was released from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday afternoon. Assam's music icon Zubeen Garg and Indian film actor Pabitra Rabha have come forward to extend their support to the singer and his wife Pinky Das.