Moderate leader of Muslim college sacked after seeking reforms

ONE of the world's most revered schools of Islamic learning has sacked its reformist leader just months into his term, after he praised a Hindu nationalist politician loathed by many Muslims in India.

Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi had pledged to update the Darul Uloom seminary's curriculum and rein in hard-line religious edicts when he became vice-chancellor in January.

But within days he upset conservatives and sparked protests by praising Gujarat state's chief minister Narendra Modi's development policies and reportedly saying Muslims in the western state should move on from riots in 2002 that left hundreds dead.

The board of the 150-year-old institution in the northern Indian town of Deoband voted yesterday to replace 60-year-old Vastanvi with Maulana Abdul Qasim Nomani.

"The board had debated a special committee's report on Vastanvi's conduct, prompting 14 board members to walk out", Mr Nomani said. Mr Vastanvi objected that the report was incomplete, but the remaining board members voted 9-4 to remove him.

"This is injustice and a conspiracy against me," Mr Vastanvi reportedly said, but he added he would not appeal the decision.

Darul Uloom has around 4,000 students and, as the centre of the Deobandi school of Islam, is seen as the spiritual light for thousands of other schools across the Middle East, Britain, the United States, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

It was founded in 1866 to preserve Islamic culture in India and preaches an austere form of Islam that has inspired millions of Muslims, including the Taleban's hard-line interpretation.