Assam CM Sparks Controversy, Accuses Meghalaya University of ‘Flood Jihad’ and ‘Mecca’ Architecture

On Monday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma continued to attack the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), arguing that the architectural plan of the university looks like ‘Mecca,’ one of the holy places in the Islamic world. This statement came just days after he accused the university of causing the recent flash floods in Guwahati, which he referred to as “flood jihad.” The domed gate of the university, according to Sarma, symbolizes ‘jihad,’ a destructive campaign against education.

Earlier this month, he attributed the flash floods that occurred in Guwahati to the construction work of the university. He said the university, situated at Lumshnong in the Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya, had been indulging in the felling of trees and hills, which, according to him, caused the floods. USTM is managed by a foundation established by Mahbubul Hoque, a Bengali Muslim and now the chancellor of the university.

Sarma singled out the three domes above the entrance to the university and said that they bear a resemblance to the domes of Mecca and Medina, Islamic sacred cities. He expressed discomfort about this, saying, “It feels awkward to go there; you have to go under ‘Mecca.’ We are saying there should also be a namghar (community prayer hall, part of Assam’s neo-Vaishnavite tradition)  there. ‘Mecca-Medina,’ church—make all three… They have kept a ‘Mecca’ there. If they wish, let them make a namghar, make a church. We will walk under all three; why will we walk under just one?” he said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

Accusations of Promoting “Jihad” Through Architecture

The Chief Minister directly criticized the university by saying the administration is practicing what he terms the “father of jihad” and therefore carrying out political and religious activities under the pretext of being an educational institution. He stated that the architectural designs were political ones since they promoted a certain religion that he did not support. Sarma’s comments created controversy regarding religious emblems in educational institutions and their effect on the interaction between the communities in the region.

Environmental Concerns and “Flood Jihad” Allegations

Environmental issues were also pointed out by Sarma, who claimed USTM was responsible for causing the flash floods in Guwahati. He drew our attention to the fact that there was a lot of tree cutting and hill cutting for the university’s construction, and it was done in a wrong manner, which made flood-like incidents possible. The Chief Minister went on to question why the hills were earmarked towards Guwahati; he said it should have been towards Meghalaya. This was perhaps deliberate, he claimed, and was “flood jihad.” He displayed satellite images illustrating the deforestation around the USTM campus.

Political Reactions and Criticism

Sarma’s statements created controversy and elicited responses from different groups. In response to Sarma’s comments, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that the Chief Minister was sprinkling statements colorful with hyperbole and falsehoods. “Can someone restrain the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa, from the jihad of repeated nonsense? It is nothing but an over-emphasis on the mask of failures and scams,” Gogoi commented on X, which was formerly a popular microblogging site, Twitter. This political backlash underscored the conflict and polarization in the region, with political representatives from different sides and across the political spectrum strongly navigating the issue.

This is a protracted conflict that exhibits the power struggle involved in debates on environmental conservation and religious concerns in the area, as both the proponents and opponents of the project continue to exchange blows regarding their stances. The situation has also raised issues about the effects of construction activities and the destruction of natural habitats as well as trees, especially in areas where there are highway disasters such as flash flooding. As the issue at hand is sensitive, the strategies of both state governments, as well as political leaders, are likely to influence the decision regarding USTM’s structure, and whether it contributed to the floods or not.