Vastanvi to stay on as Deoband VC

Deoband: Maulana Ghulam Vastanvi will stay as the Vice Chancellor of the country's oldest Madarsa Darul Uloom.

The decision was taken on Wednesday in a meeting of the Governing Council of the Islamic seminary.

"Vastanvi offered his resignation but he is going to stay back as VC. Abul Qasmi has been appointed acting VC. A three member committee will look into the matter and decide if Vastanvi can stay back. If a decision is taken against Vastanvi by this committee then Abul Qasmi will be appointed as the VC," said Darul Uloom PRO Adil Siddique.

The council has decided that Abul Qasim of Varanasi will act as the VC in Vastanvi's absence since he keeps traveling to Gujarat.

A committee of three people has been set up to enquire into the clashes that took place on campus and to find out the people involved.

"I will continue to be the VC. The decision (of the Governing Council) will come after the three-member meeting report is submitted to Shoora. My responsibilities and duties remain the same," said Vastanavi after the meeting.

An educational reformist, Vastanavi became the eye of the storm for allegedly praising development work in Narendra Modi's Gujarat and the battle lines were sharply drawn.

On the one hand is Vastanvi - also known as the MBA Maulana from Gujarat. An educational reformist, the new VC came under stack for allegedly praising development work in Narendra Modi's Gujarat.

"I have not made any such statement. There has been a media campaign going on against me," said Vastanvi.

On the other side of the divide is Maulana Arshad Madani, a teacher at Darul Uloom who has the support of the conservative old guard.

In the last meeting of the Majlis-e-shoora, where elections were held for the post of VC, Madani managed to get four votes as opposed to Vastanvi's eight.

The student community too has been actively participating in the politics on campus.

"We cannot tolerate any kind of praise for Narender Modi, especially from someone as senior as our VC," said students.

Control over Jamat-e-ulema Hind, formerly seen as the political arm of Darul Uloom, is also one of factors that have contributed to this crisis. After taking charge as VC, Vastanvi has been trying to disassociate the madarsa from the outfit, which is currently being managed by Madani.