Shillong, Apr 3: The cordial visit of Union Minister of State Ramdas Athawale to the University of Science Technology Meghalaya (USTM) stands in sharp contrast to the continual criticism the varsity has received from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Athawale, the Union MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment, paid a courtesy visit to USTM and held an extensive interaction with the university’s Chancellor, Mahbubul Hoque, and Vice-Chancellor Prof GD Sharma.
According to a USTM press release, Athawale, engaged in a detailed discussion on key developmental priorities in higher education, with particular emphasis on inclusive growth, social equity and access to quality education for marginalised communities.
The minister “lauded” USTM’s commitment to inclusive education and specifically appreciated that nearly 20 percent of the university’s student population comprises individuals from economically weaker sections of society who are pursuing their studies under special scholarship schemes.
Reaffirming the central government’s commitment to supporting institutions that promote inclusive growth, Athawale assured continued cooperation and support from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment towards USTM’s future initiatives and expansion plans, particularly those focused on the upliftment and empowerment of disadvantaged sections through education and skill development.
Athawale is from the Republic Party of India (A), a minor political outfit (Athawale is the party’s only MP) but one that has been allied to Sarma’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for well over a decade.
In contrast to Athawale’s praise, Sarma has mounted a relentless verbal assault on USTM, accusing it and Hoque of all manner of offences, none of which have so far been proven.
Just this year Sarma alleged that the privately-owned varsity was started with money that came from an organisation connected with terror outfit Al Qaeda and he urged Hindus not to patronise it. The Assam CM had earlier held USTM and its Chancellor responsible for so-called “flood jihad” against Guwahati and also raked up allegations against Hoque of forging his OBC certificate and being arrested multiple times after a series of cases were registered across Assam over the controversy related to promising students to allow unfair means in exams.
