Synopsis
On February 22, Assam Police apprehended Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque of USTM for allegedly forging a caste certificate. This incident follows earlier claims by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding deforestation linked to the university causing severe waterlogging in Guwahati during monsoon rains.Key Takeaways
- Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM, arrested.
- Allegations include forging a caste certificate.
- Chief Minister Sarma links university to deforestation.
- USTM denies allegations, claims proper permissions.
- University has 6,000 students and 'A' grade accreditation.
Guwahati, Feb 22 (NationPress) Assam Police apprehended Mahbubul Hoque, the Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), on Saturday over allegations of forging a caste certificate, as per official reports.
Hoque was taken into custody during the early hours of Saturday at his residence in Guwahati by a team from the Sribhumi district police and the Special Task Force of Assam Police.
A formal complaint was lodged against Hoque in the Sribhumi district, accusing him of forging a caste certificate.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed the registration of the case against Hoque following a controversy that erupted surrounding the private university, particularly after heavy waterlogging occurred in Guwahati during the previous monsoon.
Sarma previously claimed that the city experienced severe flash floods due to extensive deforestation conducted by USTM and other educational institutions in the Jorabat hills, located on the outskirts of Guwahati.
He asserted that the private university, which was established in 2008 and owned by the Bengali-origin Muslim Mahbubul Hoque from Assam’s Sribhumi district, has been engaging in “flood-jihad” against Guwahati.
According to Sarma, the university's actions over the past few years have led to significant deforestation in the Jorabat hills, causing water from the hills to flow down into Guwahati, resulting in severe waterlogging.
He also criticized the recent construction of a medical college on the university campus, stating that it has exacerbated the deforestation in the hills.
Sarma suggested that students from Assam should refrain from attending the university, indicating that such actions would halt construction activities there.
He further urged teachers from Guwahati to cease their engagement with USTM.
“The university management did not consult an architect during their construction processes. Had they done so, it might have preserved the trees in the hills. They (USTM) have indiscriminately cleared the hills using bulldozers,” he remarked.
However, USTM officials dismissed the Chief Minister's accusations, with a university spokesperson stating, “The USTM campus occupies only a small section of the Baridua area extending to Jorabat in the Ri-Bhoi district, which has largely developed along both sides of the G.S. Road.
“The USTM campus contributes a negligible fraction of the total water that drains down the Kiling Road to the G.S. Road (Guwahati-Shillong Road) on both sides,” the spokesperson added.
“All infrastructure expansion at the campus has received the necessary approvals from the Government of Meghalaya, and the construction of the medical college is overseen by consultants from Delhi and Mumbai, as well as reviewed by experts from IIT,” they further stated.
USTM currently enrolls nearly 6,000 students and achieved an ‘A’ grade in the NAAC accreditation in 2021.
