Guwahati, April 12: Bihu committees here have refuted singer Zubeen Garg's comment that the committees "live on the earnings from Bihu celebrations".

"It's unfortunate that Zubeen had made such a comment. More so, because we adhere to a transparent process through which our accounts are internally audited, tallied and, thereafter, scrutinised by a chartered accountant before the report is presented at the general meeting," Deepjyoti Mishra, general secretary of Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilan, one of the oldest in the city, told The Telegraph today.

Mishra said there was no scope for misappropriation of funds because of such a transparent system. "Each and every voucher is crosschecked before it is released to the parties. Our audit is generally done by December 31. We maintain registers and ledger books and are open to disclose information if required." He said the auditor's report is published in the Sanmilan's souvenir, Gagana, released on the inaugural day of Rongali Bihu celebrations.

Zubeen had created a "controversy of sorts" by reportedly making the comment in a function organised by a private television channel at the Assam Engineering Institute playground in Chandmari last month. He had also reportedly said he would undo the dhoti of anyone who asks him to wear the traditional garment while performing at Bihu functions.

The Brihattar Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani Samannayrakshi Samiti, comprising 23 Bihu committees, subsequently cleared the air, saying it had never imposed any dress code upon any artiste for performing at Bihu functions. "All we want to say is that artistes should be decently dressed as opposed to flashy attire while performing Bihu," Ranjan Bora, president of the Samiti, said.

He said the Samiti had not boycotted Zubeen but had decided not to invite him to perform.

The Samiti had earlier come out with a set of guidelines for Bihu function organisers. Some of the stipulations included wrapping up cultural programmes by midnight, not organising functions after the month of Bohag (after mid-May) and requesting artistes to wear traditional attire while performing.

Later, the word traditional was replaced with the word "decent".

A few years ago, the Samiti had decided not to pay any artiste over Rs 60,000 for his/her performance at a Bihu function.

Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, which claims to be the pioneer of stage Bihu in the state, said they were not part of any controversy but their accounts were clear enough to defy any controversy regarding misappropriation of funds.

"Our accounts are clear. We audit our accounts and if the public wants any information they are free to know," said Kailash Sharma, president of the organising committee of Sanmilanis.

Sharma said the Bihu Sanmilani prefers to stay above all controversies. "As the pioneer of stage Bihu, it is our responsibility to show the right path to others, not to discriminate among artistes. Bihu for us is a meeting point of all communities, a mantra stalwarts such as Radha Govinda Baruah, Bhubaneswar Barooah and Atul Chandra Hazarika advocated," he said.

Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, which is not a member of the Samannayrakshi Samiti, has invited Zubeen to perform on Thursday evening.

"You cannot dismiss the contributions of Zubeen just because he has said something somewhere. Last year, when flood ravaged the state it was Zubeen who led a group of artistes to collect funds for the victims," Sharma said.