I haven''t resigned as Darul VC: Vastanvi

Vadodara, Jan 27 (PTI) Maulana Gulam Mohammad Vastanvi,who stirred a controversy with his remarks on Gujarat, todaysaid he has not resigned as vice chancellor of Darul UloomDeoband and a final decision on him will be taken by thegoverning council of the Islamic seminary.

"I have not yet resigned. A meeting of the Majlis-e-Soora (governing council) will be held on February 23, inwhich scholars from all over the country will come. I willpresent my case and they will decide on whether I shouldcontinue or not," Vastanvi told reporters here.

"I still continue to be vice-chancellor of Darul Uloomtill February 23," he said.

Vastanvi, who was elected vice-chancellor on January10, has been facing protests from students at the seminaryafter he reportedly said that Muslims should forget thecommunal riots of 2002 and move on and that the community didnot face discrimination in Gujarat.

Vastanvi, who hails from Surat, said he did not give aclean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the2002 post-Godhra riots.

"My statements (on Modi) were either misunderstood orbadly represented in Urdu media. My first interview publishedin the newspaper clearly stated that I have not given a cleanchit to Modi," he said.

Vastanvi, who arrived here from Delhi en routeNandurbar, was accorded a warm welcome by Muslim communitymembers who had gathered in large numbers.