Embattled Deoband chief offers to resign

January 25, 2011 23:41 IST

Caught in a controversy relating to his appreciation of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Deoband based Darul Uloom vice chancellor Maulana Mohammad Ghulam Vastanvi offered to step down.

According to a source in the Darul Uloom, "Maulana Vastanvi has tendered his resignation, which would be placed before the institution's governing council Majlis-e-Shoora, on February 15." He said, "the final outcome of his resignation would be determined by the governing body on that date."

The move followed day-long demonstrations and chaos all over the Darul Uloom campus. While a large chunk

of students were unrelenting on their demand for Vastanvi's ouster, another group stood up in support of Vastanvi.

Claiming that the vice chancellor's remarks about the Gujarat chief minister had been "distorted and twisted" by the media, the pro-Vastanvi gropup said, "the tirade against the vice chancellor was motivated by certain vested interests."

The anti-Vastanvi group staged a sit-in demonstration raising slogans of Modi-Nawaz VC waapas jao (Modi admirer VC go back). They have resolved to continue their 'dharna' indefinitely until the VC leaves the campus.

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