Under fire from old order,new Deoband chief decides to quit

Maulana Gulam Muhammed Vastanwi,the newly elected head of Darul-Uloom Deoband,is learnt to have conveyed to members of the governing council that he wishes to resign from the top post.

Under fire despite clarifying remarks that were interpreted as endorsing Narendra Modis rule in Gujarat,Maulana Gulam Muhammed Vastanwi,the newly elected head of Darul-Uloom Deoband,is learnt to have conveyed to members of the governing council that he wishes to resign from the top post.

Vastanwi,whose selection was opposed by local leaders who saw him as one from outside the Deoband fold,has called a two-day meeting of the Shoora (supreme governing body) on February 15 and 16. The Shoora will take a final call on his status.

The Mohtamims post fell vacant after 30 years when Maulana Marghoobur Rehman died last year. On January 10,Vastanwi was elected with eight votes in the 14-member governing body.

Speaking to The Indian Express,Badruddin Ajmal,member of the Shoora and MP from Assam,said: Now that he has made it clear he wants to quit,the statements and counters which were ruining the image of Deoband outside should stop.

Those opposed to Vastanwi pointed out that he was from outside the Deobandi tradition,an entrepreneur-educationist,too close to the political establishment. But his supporters said the attacks were the work of status-quoists.