Hussain was born on 10 January 1994 in a Muslim family in Haripur village,Barpeta. He comes from a family without a political background. He completed his High School Leaving Certificate examinations at Tarabari Higher Secondary School.[8] He attended Ratnadip Junior College for his senior secondary education. Hussain then earned a diploma in Jr. Engineering from CIPET,Guwahati and later graduated from Indira Gandhi National Open University with a bachelor's in social work.[3]
Social work and activism
From 2014 to 2016,Hussin worked in the corporate sector in Pune before returning to Assam. There,he began addressing issues such as the citizenship crisis,land pattas,poverty,and flood erosion. He also worked as a freelance journalist for news organizations in the state.[4]
As a journalist,Hussain reported on the killing of 40 children and women by militants on an island of Baksa district.[9] In 2017,he and his colleagues traveled across the country,visiting the homes of people affected by mob lynching and hate violence as part of the Karwan-e-Mohabbat or Caravan of Love campaign. The Karwan's journey began in Assam in 2017,in a small village in Nagaon where two young boys were killed by mob lynching. He then travelled 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.[10]
Hussain was a member of Sambidhan Sevak,an initiative started by social worker and author Harsh Mander to spread awareness about the Indian constitution in lower Assam. During the 2019 floods,Ashraful and members of the Sambidhan Sevak distributed relief in many 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 illiterate people file National Register of Citizens forms and assisted them in travelling long distances for hearings. They identified as Samvidhan Saathis or Friends of the Constitution.[2]
Hussain defeated the incumbent Sukur Ali Ahmed,a four-time elected legislator of Chenga and former minister in the Tarun Gogoi government.[12] Sukur Ali of the Indian National Congress (INC) received 23,357 votes,and Rabiul Hussain of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) received 23,373 votes. Ashraful Hussain won with 75,312 votes and a margin of 51,939 votes,securing 58.83% of the votes and becoming the youngest legislator of the Assam Legislative Assembly in 2021.[12]
Charges
Hussain has faced legal challenges,primarily related to his activism and poetry,which some authorities have deemed provocative. According to his self-declared affidavit during the 2021 election,available on MyNeta.info,he has been charged with multiple criminal offenses:
Promoting Enmity Between Groups (IPC Section 153A): Three charges of promoting enmity between different groups based on religion,race,place of birth,residence,language,etc.,and actions prejudicial to maintaining harmony. These charges likely arise from his poetry,which addresses the struggles of the Bengali Muslim community during the NRC process and has been perceived as divisive by some.
Outraging Religious Feelings (IPC Section 295A): One charge for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting a religion or religious beliefs,possibly related to the content of his poetry.
Criminal Intimidation (IPC Section 506): One charge for punishment for criminal intimidation,indicating allegations of threats or intimidation.
Criminal Conspiracy (IPC Section 120B): Two charges related to criminal conspiracy,suggesting coordinated actions that authorities deemed unlawful.
Acts Done by Several Persons (IPC Section 34): Two charges for acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention,implying involvement with others in alleged illegal activities.
Defamation (IPC Sections 500 and 501): One charge each for punishment for defamation and printing/engraving defamatory matter,likely related to his public statements or writings.
Intentional Insult (IPC Section 504): One charge for intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.
Disobedience to Public Order (IPC Section 188): One charge for disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant.
Obscene Acts and Songs (IPC Section 294): One charge related to obscene acts or songs,possibly tied to his poetry or public expressions.
Assault or Criminal Force (IPC Section 352): One charge for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation.
Additionally,Hussain faced legal repercussions for his poetry in 2019,when an FIR was filed against him for sedition due to a protest poem,as reported by The Quint in April 2021. He was granted bail by the High Court but remained on bail during his 2021 campaign. In 2023,a more serious accusation emerged:according to HinduPost,a girl filed a case at Dispur police station in Guwahati,alleging that Hussain’s associate,Ritul Hussain,abducted her from Barpeta,brought her to Hussain’s MLA quarters in Guwahati,and subjected her to physical and mental abuse. She claimed she was forced to sign a marriage contract,and her father accused Hussain of being the mastermind behind the kidnapping. Hussain denied the allegations,calling them baseless and stating that the incident stemmed from a love affair. He also announced plans to file a defamation suit against the family.[13][14][15][16]
Personal life
On 27 May 2021,Ashraful Hussain married Rehna Sultana,an assistant professor at Sibsagar Girls' College..[3]
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