Guwahati, Aug 10: Hours after Assam Chief Himanta Biswa Sarma’s ‘Flood Jihad’ remark on the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee President Mira Borthakur said on Saturday that the former might have some disagreement with the owner of the university.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a protest held at Guwahati, Borthakur said, “The chief minister may be having some disagreement with the owner of USTM due to which he made such a remark. His wife might have wanted ownership of a portion of land near the university or have some personal dispute. As a well-wisher, I suggest him to take rest for a while before making such a statement.”
This comes after Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the owner of USTM, Mahbubul Hoque, has started a flood jihad similar to land jihad by cutting down hilly areas to expand their campus, leading to severe artificial flooding in the city areas.
To emphasise more on the allegations, the chief minister shared satellite images of the university on his personal X handle.
“After the recent flash floods in Guwahati, we have gone through satellite images of Meghalaya’s Greater Jorabat Hills, located 6-7 kms from the city. The deforestation where USTM University is located is self explanatory,” he posted on X.
Meanwhile, USTM issued a press statement amid the controversy surrounding the flood issue in the city.
"We have Water Harvesting plant and have 5 big Natural Water Reservoirs where the maximum rainwater of the campus is reserved. Every year we invest hugely in Afforestation drives enhancing Green Cover by planting trees within and around the campus. USTM campus area is a small part of the Baridua area till Jorabat in Ri-Bhoi district which has largely developed on both sides of the G. S. Road. USTM campus contributes maybe a miniscule portion of the total water that flows down the Kiling Road through the various drains to the G. S. Road on both sides of the road," the statement reads.
The matter started following the heavy rainfall on August 5, resulting in severe artificial flood issues with several people stranded on roads.
A day after the heavy rainfall, state Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal attributed the unprecedented urban flooding in Guwahati on August 5 to the severe flow of water from neighbouring Meghalaya.
Playing the "Man vs. Nature" card, Minister Singhal explained that the heavy flow of water from hilly Meghalaya, combined with intense rainfall in Guwahati, led to the urban flooding that brought the city to a standstill on Monday evening.
