By TCN Special Correspondent,
Lucknow: Following widespread protest in and outside Darul Uloom Deoband over his praising words for Gujarat Government of Narendra Modi, Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi, the newly appointed Rector of country’s largest Islamic seminary, has resigned a short while ago. Several quarters of the Muslim community across the country had condemned the Surat-based cleric for his statement.
Vastanvi, who took charge of the seminary on 10th Jan. 2011, was criticized for his pro- Narendra Modi remarks which he later disowned. Protests were held even in Deoband seminary with clashes among students. A section of students had sat on dharna demanding his exit. Last evening they put their agitation on hold giving the authorities two days time to call a special meeting of the seminary’s high-powered Majlis-e-Shura to seek resignation from Maulana Vastanvi.
Vastanvi was the first rector who had not studied at Deoband and possessed an MBA degree besides traditional higher madrasa education. His commencement had raised hope the seminary may go through image makeover. But the hope short-lived as the Maulana courted controversy by hurting the sentiments of the community through his unexpected good words for the Modi regime.
Vastanvi was elected by the Majlis-e-Shura (Advisory Committee) of Deoband where he defeated prominent cleric Maulana Arshad Madani. Vastanvi with a liberal outlook runs several educational institutions and a hospital in Gujarat and Maharashtra. He even has a page dedicated to him by his fans on social networking site Facebook. Born in village Vastan near Surat in Gujarat, the cleric also has received honors from Maharashtra government for his social service.
(With inputs from Manzar Bilal of TwoCircles.net in New Delhi)
[Photo by http://www.timescontent.com]