Guwahati : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday alleged a conspiracy to destroy education in Assam while defending his earlier comments on the Meghalaya University of Science and Technology (USTM).

Sarma drew parallels between his statements and those of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who had previously blamed Jorabat for the recurring floods in Guwahati.

“When I spoke about Meghalaya University of Science and Technology (USTM), everyone criticised me. But earlier, Tarun Gogoi had said that Jorabat is the main reason for floods in Guwahati,” the Biswa stated.

He claimed that the Congress party, including Tarun Gogoi’s son, Gaurav Gogoi, had verbally attacked him for mentioning USTM.

Biswa went on to question the geographical factors contributing to the floods, asking, “Why did the hills cut towards Guwahati and not towards Meghalaya? Is this not flood jihad?”

He further alleged that a “big conspiracy” was underway to undermine the education system in Assam.

This development came after Sarma, at a press conference on Friday, claimed that USMT had been waging a “flood jihad” by demolishing hills around its campus to build new structures, which is also “one of the reasons” for waterlogging in Guwahati.

Taking to X, Sarma posted satellite images of Meghalaya’s Greater Jorabat Hills and said, “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. But my concern is not just the area near USTM. Below is a time lapse video of the destruction in other regions of the Greater Jorabat Hills in Meghalaya.

It also explains how a cloud burst here leads to rapid floods in Guwahati, like the one recently. We will work with Meghalaya Govt to protect our shared habitats.”

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also took to X, criticising Sarma: “Can someone stop the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa, from his jihad of repeated nonsense? It is simply an exaggerated cover up for his failures and scams.”

Earlier on August 7, while addressing the convocation ceremony of Assam Forest Protection Corps constables, Sarma said, “The drains of the metropolis cannot drain water so fast; then, in this situation, there may be a problem of artificial flooding on one or two days in a year.

25 per cent of the total rainfall of the year has happened in the last two days. The main reason for the water coming from Meghalaya is the University of Science and Technology (USTM). They have established the university by encircling a mountain and cutting on it.

During the establishment of this university, there was a need to oppose the Assam government. Along with this, a DPS was also established, taking advantage of the geographical advantage near Guwahati by cutting the mountains. I will talk to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya about this.”