The Meghalaya unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a judicial probe into the allegation that the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) has been handing out fake degrees for money.
The allegation, made without the presentation of any proof, was made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma yesterday. Sarma, also of the BJP, has, in the last year, practically declared war against USTM, which is located close to the Assam border in Ri-Bhoi.
In the past, Sarma has accused USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque of obtaining an OBC certificate fraudulently and of the university practising “flood jihad” by cutting hills on campus that Sarma claimed resulted in flooding of Guwahati. He also mandated that USTM graduates seeking jobs in Assam would have to go through an additional round of examinations.
Given Sarma’s and the BJP’s apparent hostility towards Muslims, it is unsurprising that the university has been so sharply targeted. For its part, USTM has tried to weather the storm, taking on each allegation as it comes. Rebutting the current one, it has said that it has received an A grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2021, is empowered the award degrees by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and other bodies for specific courses and has also received approval from the central government’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to set up a medical college.
That medical college also shows evidence of trying to curry favour with the Meghalaya government as it has been named in honour of the late PA Sangma, father of the current Chief Minister and a political heavyweight in his own right in his day.
Today, the Meghalaya BJP demanded that the state government launch a probe to look into Sarma’s latest allegations. Pohshna stated, “This time around, the accusation is serious in nature,” which suggests that he believes Sarma’s previous allegations not to be serious. The BJP also “demands a thorough probe by a neutral agency. Even the faintest suspicion of fake degrees and fake certificates have serious ramifications on a student’s future, bringing with it the potential to destroy many a budding career; in such a scenario it becomes the responsibility of the government to investigate and parade the truth to the public.”
Yesterday, Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma called for some proof to be presented before an investigation is launched as allegations can be levelled by anyone and there needs to be something substantial behind them in order to justify a probe.
“While it’s true that anyone can make an allegation, the fact remains that the charges have been brought by the sitting Chief Minister of a neighbouring state, which alone makes it a matter of genuine concern,” Pohshna said. “The government of Assam is threatening to derecognise USTM degrees for government job applications, which will have a domino effect and will jeopardise the future prospects for many.”
