By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: Amidst speculation over his removal, the estranged rector of country’s largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom, Deoband, Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi expressed his willingness to continue as the head of the seminary.
Facing a probe over his pro-Narendra Modi remarks which he later disowned, Vastanvi candidly admitted on Thursday that he personally wishes to continue as rector and work for the upliftment of the institution.
Vastanvi was appointed as rector on January 10 after he won an election in the Majils-e-Shura, the apex decision making body of the seminary. He defeated his relative Maulana Arshad Madani in the election. However, he got involved in a goof-up over his remarks in which he stated that Muslims should move ahead and forget communal riots of 2002 in Gujarat, his home state. Later, his pictures where he is presenting an idol during a function in Maharashtra also surfaced making things difficult for him. Deoband authorities constituted a three member panel to probe the charges and he was cut to size with appointment of a deputy rector with full authority.
“It is a conspiracy against me and these two issues have been deliberately raised to lobby against me. I am not involved with them and they were cropped up to malign me,” remarked Vastanvi on Thursday. On a personal note, Vastanvi made his intentions clear that he wishes to continue as rector of the institution. “Why should I step down from the post? The Majlis-e-Shoora elected me after seeing my potential. They must have seen some qualities in me to handle the job. Now others who are not associated with the Majlis-e-Shoora are demanding my resignation,” he claimed. Vastanvi, however, maintained that the decision of the Majlis-e-Shoora will be final and binding for him but presently he is keeping his fingers crossed.
“I do not go by media reports and will wait for the Majlis-e-Shoora decision. Personally I am hopeful of a chance to serve the institution,” he reiterated
The three-member probe committee against Vastanvi will submit its report to the Majlis-e-Shoora on July 23. It is reported that the inquiry report is incomplete with two members stating that they were not given access to record statements of students who created a furor after the Vastanvi episode.