Himanta Biswa Sarma accuses Meghalaya varsity of promoting 'Jihad', questions Congress's motivation

Asssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 12 said that the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) is promoting 'Jihad' and criticized the Congress party for allegedly reacting based on the institution's Muslim ownership.

Sarma claimed that Congress would not have voiced concerns if USTM’s owner were Hindu. "The Congress is only shouting because the USTM owner is Muslim," he alleged. He also criticized the Congress for allegedly politicizing the flood situation in Guwahati, asserting that late Tarun Gogoi had previously identified Jorabat as a key factor in the flooding.

Sarma took a strong stance against the USTM, suggesting that its prominence in the region might be misconstrued as a sign of religious favoritism rather than a symbol of educational pride. “One might question if they are entering Mecca or Guwahati when approaching USTM,” Sarma said. He expressed frustration over what he perceived as a lack of diversity in the university’s religious representation and said that the institution should include symbols of various religions, such as Namghars or churches.

Further intensifying his critique, Sarma argued that the university’s construction practices have negatively impacted Guwahati’s landscape. “They have cut the entire mountain and destroyed Guwahati. The USTM is doing 'jihad' there and harming the future of our students,” he claimed.

Sarma also defended his own actions, clarifying that his visit to USTM was at the request of Jayanta Baruah during a visit by former President Ram Nath Kovind. Sarma said that, upon reviewing the auditorium, he planned to construct a 5,000-seat auditorium in Khanapara. This aims to provide an alternative venue and reduce future reliance on the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM).