Six months after what many had
described rubbing salt into the wounds of the Indian Muslims
specially those in Gujarat by praising Narendra Modi, Maulana
Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi has finally been voted out July 24 as
Vice Chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband, one of the most respected
Islamic seminaries in Asia. The voting to remove Maulana Vastanvi
as the VC was conducted during the two day Majlis-e-Shoora –
meeting of the advisory board, after he refused to resign as
promised following the controversy erupted in the wake of his
reported praise for Modi.
Maulana Ghulam Vastanvi has been one of the very few in India who
tried to redefine the Madrasa education. Also, for the status,
dignity and respect he enjoys among the masses and the work in the
filed of education he has done, it is unfortunate that he had to
abandon the post in this manner. Yet the decision taken by the
Shoora to remove him is historic, in synch with the Muslim
sentiments and will have a long term impact in many ways.
First, the stand taken by Maulana Vasatnvi vis-à-vis Narendra Modi
barely few days after he was elected as the Deoband Vice
Chancellor was not only painful but it was a grave deviation from
the policies maintained by his predecessors. It wasn’t therefore
quite unexpected when the community leaders while condemning him
in very strong words also blamed him of degrading the post of the
Vice-Chancellor. Otherwise, rubbish, uncalled for, misleading, far
from reality, lacking credibility, absurd and irresponsible – the
words used by the community leaders while condemning Maulana
Vastanvi, are not the manner in which a Muslim could dare to speak
against a sitting VC.
Second, the Majlis-e-Shoora demonstrated remarkable restraint
before arriving at this decision. The Shoora was under tremendous
pressure. The violence which erupted at the Darul Uloom also made
things difficult for its members. But the Shoora, though had all
power to remove him immediately, constituted a committee on
February 23, 2011 to investigate the entire issue. By doing so,
the Shoora made it clear that it is not in favour of taking a
hasty decision out of emotional overtures, something the Indian
Muslims are always accused of. The committee also did not show any
haste and took five months to submit its report. According to
available information, the committee during this time met several
people including Maulana Vastanvi and then submitted its report to
the Majis-e-Shoora. The Shoora even then mooted an honourable exit
formula to Maulana Vastanvi and reminded him of his promise to
resign. It was only when he refused to do so that the Shoora
decided to vote him out from the post.
The decision is also a slap on the faces of those who advise the
Indian Muslims ‘to forget and move on’. True, the 2002 Gujarat
riots are not exception and India has seen many riots on its soil
including the Gujarat state in itself. It is also true that the
Indian police cannot escape the blame of being biased towards the
Muslims. But is there any example where the state machinery had so
openly backed the rioters?
Also, the Indian Muslims, despite suffering the brunt of the
communal riots and prejudice by the government machineries, baring
few condemnable occasions including the 1993 Mumbai blasts, always
practiced the policy of forget and move on. But in return they
were subjected to more riots, more harassments and more bias, and at the
best, lame duck enquiry commissions, which did not have any power
to bring to book the culprits and justice to the Muslim victims.
And now in Gujarat when because of the courage and determination
shown by the people like Zakia Jafery and activists like Teesta
Setalvad and Mehir Desai, the rioters and killers are facing
trial, the Muslims are again advised to forget and move on.
Why? Are the rioters ashamed of their crimes against the
innocents? Are they showing any remorse for what they had done
during those tragic days? No, there is no one who is ashamed of
their evil deeds. In contrast to this, there are many who not only
justify their evil acts but are also proud of their aggression
against the innocent people including women and children. The
Shoora decision has clearly said that the killers of Gujarat must
be punished and Narendra Modi cannot hide under the development
claims and stories of economic growth the grave injustice he
and his government had done to the Muslims.
Lastly, the Majlis-e-Shoora by its decision has also indicated to
the Cong-led UPA government in a very clear term that the Indian
Muslims are no longer ready to compromise on their security. They
have suffered a lot, first because of the communal riots and now
in the wake of the fictitious war against terrorism. The Shoora by
its decision has shown to the government that the Muslims in India
now seriously want business and real action against those who are
responsible for the sufferings of the community.
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