Assam CM attacking Haque for his vested interests: Congress leader
Shillong, Feb 22: In a dramatic midnight operation, Assam police’s Special Task Force, which is allegedly tasked with counter-terrorism operations, stormed the Guwahati residence of prominent educationist Mahbubul Haque- Chancellor of Meghalaya’s reputed University of Science and Technology (USTM), arresting him over allegations of exam malpractice, igniting a political firestorm with opposition parties accusing Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of pursuing a personal vendetta.
As tensions rise between Assam and Meghalaya over the incident, questions are raised on whether this was a legitimate crackdown on academic fraud- or a witch hunt fuelled by a personal rivalry?
Administering one of the largest educational institutions in the North East- USTM annually admits thousands of students from across the North East states into various degree and specialization courses, Chancellor Mahbubul Haque was taken from his residence in Guwahati’s Ghoramara locality in the dead of night- around 1:30 AM on Saturday.
The charges against him are related to alleged malpractice during exams in a school at Karimganj run by Education Research and Development (ERD) Foundation, which is headed by Hoque.
A group of students from Goalpara alleged that they were promised assistance in the 30-mark MCQ section of their CBSE Class 12 exam at Central Public School, Patharkandi, and when they were denied the same created chaos and vandalism.
However, credentials of the students claiming from Vision 50 Academy cannot be independently verified as USTM too has not released an official statement in this regard.
While being taken to a police station under police escort in Guwahati on Saturday morning, Chancellor Mahbubul Haque told waiting journalists, “I am given to understand that our teachers did not allow students to cheat which led to the ruckus. Police have arrested me but not even given me a copy of the FIR.”
The Assam government is justifying the arrest with Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu tweeting that Haque’s arrest is based on the incident of vandalism at Central Public School, where a case has been registered in Patharkandi.
“Students were reportedly assured assistance in the 30-mark MCQ section of their CBSE Class 12 exams at Central Public School, Patharkandi (owned by the USTM group). Many, mostly from Goalpara, were strategically placed there to gain an unfair advantage in exams. When external invigilators refused to comply, chaos ensued—teachers were locked inside, prompting police intervention. This serious violation of academic integrity demands an urgent and thorough investigation,” minister Pegu claimed in a post on social media handle X (formerly Twitter).
“The school is owned by the Education Research and Development Foundation which runs several educational institutes, including USTM. The ERDF was founded by Haque” Pegu said.
There has been no official statement by the police on the reasons for his arrest.
Following the arrest of the educationist, a political storm has erupted with opposition parties, particularly the Congress, accusing the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of vendetta.
Congress leader from Assam Ripun Bora has condemned the arrest. “I strongly condemned the arrest of USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Haque at midnight by Assam Police. From past few months, Assam CM has been attacking Mr. Haque, a renowned educationist from the North East, for his vested interests” he said.
He pointed out that the USTM comes under the Government of Meghalaya and all the academic matters of USTM come under UGC. “Then why is the Chief Minister of Assam making it a personal and political vendetta? By doing this the CM is trying to completely destroy a premier educational institution of the North East” he said.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, without providing evidence, had accused the private institution of massive fraud, issuing fake degrees, and financial misconduct. His remarks come amid growing concerns over the recent termination of employees at the university.
Sarma pulled no punches, directly targeting USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque. “The head of USTM himself is a fraud. The entire system is fraudulent, and the institution has been issuing fake certificates to students,” he alleged, but fell short of providing any documentary evidence to his claims.
Categorically rejecting the allegations, USTM asserted that such statements not only tarnish the reputation of a credible educational institution but also demoralize thousands of students, faculty members, and researchers dedicated to academic excellence.
“We urge the Assam Chief Minister to engage in a fact-based discourse and acknowledge USTM’s contributions to higher education,” the university stated. “We remain steadfast in our mission to serve the nation through quality education, research, and social empowerment. Furthermore, we welcome any inquiry or investigation by any authority to cross-verify our credentials.”
