Ashraful Hussain

Ashraful Hussain (born January 10, 1994) is an Indian politician from Assam currently serving as a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly. As a member of the All India United Democratic Front, he has represented the Chenga Assembly constituency since the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Ashraful Hussain
Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office May 21, 2021
Preceded by	Sukur Ali Ahmed
Constituency	Chenga
Personal details
Born	January 10, 1994 (1994-01-10) (age 31) Haripur, Barpeta District, Assam
Nationality	Indian
Political party	All India United Democratic Front
Alma mater	Indira Gandhi National Open University
Profession	Politician, Journalist, Social Worker, Poet

At age 27, he was one of the youngest MLAs in the Assam Legislative Assembly elected in 2021, representing the Chenga (Vidhan Sabha Constituency) in lower Assam.^[6]

He graduated from the Indira Gandhi National Open University with a bachelor's degree in social work (BSW).^[3] Before entering politics, he worked as a journalist^[4] and was involved with the Karwan-e-Mohabbat campaign and Sambidhan Sevak. He advocated for the land rights of people displaced by flood erosion from the Brahmaputra River, and also participated in relief programs during seasonal floods in Assam and during the COVID-19 lockdown in India.^[4]

Early life and education

Hussain was born on 10 January 1994 to a Muslim family in the village of Haripur, Barpeta. He completed his High School Leaving Certificate examinations at Tarabari Higher Secondary School^[7] before attending Ratnadip Junior College for his senior secondary education. Hussain earned a diploma in Junior Engineering from CIPET, Guwahati, and later graduated from Indira Gandhi National Open University with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work.^[3]

Activism

From 2014 to 2016, Hussain worked in the corporate sector in Pune before returning to Assam. Hussain began addressing issues such as citizenship, land pattas, poverty, and flood erosion.^[4] He also worked as a freelance journalist for news organizations in the state.^[4]

In 2017, Hussain and colleagues traveled across India, visiting the homes of people affected by mob lynching and hate violence as part of the Karwan-e-Mohabbat campaign (also known as Caravan of Love). The Karwan's journey began in Assam in 2017, in a village in Nagaon, where two young boys were killed in a mob lynching. Hussain also traveled to Jharkhand, Delhi, Mewat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Karnataka. The Karwan continued its journeys for three years, until the COVID-19 lockdown in India.^[8]

Hussain was a member of Sambidhan Sevak, an initiative founded by social worker and author Harsh Mander to raise awareness about the Indian constitution in lower Assam. During the 2019 floods, Ashraful and members of Sambidhan Sevak distributed relief in villages in the Barpeta district. He also joined Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS).^[1]

When the process of the National Register of Citizens began in Assam by order of the Supreme Court, Hussain helped individuals file National Register of Citizens forms and assisted them in travelling for hearings. He worked with those identified as Samvidhan Saathis, or Friends of the Constitution.^[2]

Assam Election 2021

In Assam's Legislative Assembly election conducted in 2021, All India United Democratic Front allied with the Indian National Congress, Bodoland People's Front (BPF), and CPI-M under the name Mahajut, which lost to the BJP's Mitrajot alliance.^[9]

Hussain contested the Assam Legislative Assembly elections from Chenga as a candidate for the All India United Democratic Front. He defeated the incumbent Sukur Ali Ahmed of the Indian National Congress (INC), a four-time elected legislator from Chenga and a former minister in the Tarun Gogoi government.^[10] Sukur Ali had received 23,357 votes, and Rabiul Hussain of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) received 23,373 votes. Ashraful Hussain won with 75,312 votes, securing 58.83% of the vote.^[10] He became the youngest legislator in the Assam Legislative Assembly elected in 2021.^[10]

Charges

According to his 2021 election affidavit on MyNeta.info,^[11] Ashraful Hussain faced multiple criminal charges under various IPC sections, including promoting enmity (153A), outraging religious feelings (295A), criminal intimidation (506), criminal conspiracy (120B), and defamation (500, 501), among others. In 2019, he was booked for sedition over a protest poem but was granted bail.^[12] In 2023, a case was filed alleging his involvement in the abduction and abuse of a girl by an associate.^[13][14][15]

Personal life

On 27 May 2021, Ashraful Hussain married Rehna Sultana, an assistant professor at Sibsagar Girls' College.^[3]