A prominent civil society group, comprising eminent Muslim personalities, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep concern over the arrest of Mahbabul Hoque, Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM). The group has urged the PM to ensure justice in the matter, alleging that the arrest was a targeted move to demoralize progressive members of society.
Hoque was arrested from his Guwahati residence early Saturday, accused of being part of a network that allegedly lured students with promises of high marks through “fraud means,” as claimed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The group, ‘Citizens For Fraternity,’ which includes former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, former Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, and former Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah, among others, criticized the arrest as “pure vendetta.”
In their letter to PM Modi, the group highlighted that Hoque was detained without an initial charge sheet or arrest warrant and was lodged in Karim Gunj Jail, approximately 300 km from Guwahati. The charge sheet, filed a day after his arrest, accuses him of encouraging mass cheating in Class 12 exams. The group questioned the timing of the arrest, noting it was carried out on a Saturday morning when judicial redress is difficult to obtain, suggesting it was a deliberate move by the Assam government.
“This arrest of a respected, non-political citizen and his prolonged incarceration have been aimed at demoralizing a section of progressive members of society. It prevents efforts by enlightened citizens to strive towards establishing modern secular institutions of higher learning and medical facilities,” the letter stated.
The group expressed confidence that PM Modi would intervene to ensure justice and called for a fair and transparent investigation into the matter.
