“I’ll Continue My Work...If Not At Deoband, Then Elsewhere”

At 2.30 pm on February 23, when the gates of the guesthouse at the Deoband-based Dar-ul-Uloom seminary finally opened, it was after a marathon six-hour meeting of the majlis-e-shoora (governing council) which discussed the fate of its controversial vice-chancellor Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi. A maulana with an MBA and liberal views, he had just been given what many see as an “honourable exit plan”. And though he put up a brave face before the press after the meeting, saying, “I am still the VC of Dar-ul-Uloom”, the shoora’s decision seemed more categoric in its press note. Comprising four crucial points, it outlined the shoora’s decision to appoint Abul Qasim Nomani as the acting VC. It also announced the setting up of a three-member committee to look into the charges against Vastanvi and who incited students from the seminary against him. A final decision on Vastanvi’s resignation will be taken after the committee submits its report within three months. But crucially, if the committee finds Vastanvi guilty, Nomani will take over as VC. Vastanvi had offered to resign in January after he ‘praised’ Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in an interview and asked Muslims to look beyond the post-Godhra riots of February 2002. Prarthna Gahilote spoke to Vastanvi soon after the shoora meeting. Excerpts:

What do you make of the decision of the shoora?

I’m still the vice-chancellor of Dar-ul- Uloom till the three-member committee constituted by the shoora gives its verdict. The governing council has only appointed an acting VC—a post lying vacant for a long time. The acting VC will take charge of things when I am not here. Today’s decision is completely in line with what I expected.

Does that mean the controversy over your statements on Narendra Modi and Gujarat is behind you now?

It was created by vested interests. I have asked the shoora to look into who incited the students to violence. These students are responsible for disrupting life in the seminary. The controversy had created a negative atmosphere which is why I went back to my own seminary in Maharashtra. I’m back now and everyone here in the shoora and outside has made efforts to ensure that the atmosphere isn’t vitiated. We have tried to bring normalcy to the seminary and that has been done today with this meeting.

Is the shoora against your modernising the seminary?

The issue in the shoora is not about modernising. I have been working for the shoora for the last 12 years and I will continue to do that. The shoora is happy with my work. In any case, I will continue to promote academics other than religious studies. I will continue my work, if not here, elsewhere.

Why did you offer to resign today?

When the controversy first broke out in January, I had promised that I would resign. How could I go back on my promise? I offered my resignation to the shoora today as soon as the meeting began but they said they would investigate the case first. They told me clearly they didn’t want to consider my resignation right now.

Why then has a committee been constituted to conduct an investigation?

The students’ job is to study. It’s not to indulge in violence and politics. Who created this atmosphere in Dar-ul-Uloom where students got violent and disrupted activities? Who is behind these students? That’s what I wanted investigated and the committee has been formed to look into that too.

If the shoora supported you, why did it appoint an acting VC? Is it paving the way for your honourable exit?

That’s not the case. He is not the acting VC in those terms. I am away for long stretches and someone’s got to take charge. It was also done keeping in mind that in case of my leaving the seminary, it wouldn’t be left headless.