Darul Uloom Deoband head Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi on Thursday said he will abide by the decision of a three-member panel probing his pro-Narendra Modi remarks and won't challenge in court the outcome if it is against him.
Vastanvi, who hails from Surat and was elected vice chancellor of the country's largest Islamic seminary in January, said he would step down if asked to do so by its 'majlis-e-shoora' or the governing council.
"I will accept the decision of the shoora. There is no question of going against the decision. If the shoora wishes I will continue in my post. If the decision comes against me, I will abide that also," he told mediapersons.
He stressed that he won't go to court against any decision of the council.
"For me, maintaining and preserving the reputation of the organisation is most important. I will ever do anything to defame Darul Uloom. This organisation is very important for me as well as for the Muslim community."
A section of the Urdu media had reported that Vastanvi would move court if the decision of the majlis-e-shoora went against him.
Clarifying on his remarks about Modi, he said he had never given a "clean chit" to the Gujarat chief minister for his role in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Vastanvi had triggered a controversy soon after his appointment as VC when he praised Modi's rule and his development policy.
He had reportedly said that Muslims should forget the riots of 2002 and move on and the community did not face discrimination in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, the three members of the committee looking into issue have not been able to arrive at a consensus ahead of their two-day meeting with the majlis-e-shoora beginning July 23.
Admitting that there was lack of consensus in the committee, Mufti Mazoor Ahmad said it is possible that three reports may be presented before the council in the meeting.
"It is true that we have not been able to arrive at a consensus. Now, all three of us may present our individual reports to the council," he said.
However, another member of the committee, Mufti Mohammad Ismail denied reports of a discord among the members of the committee.
He has also rubbished reports by the Urdu media that he had pressurised the other two members of the panel to sign his version of the report.
"I never pressurised the other two members to sign my report. My report is ready. I have not seen the reports of other two members," he said.
It has also emerged that Maulana Mohammad Ibrahim would not attend the July 23-24 meeting of the council because of some personal issues.
The governing council of the seminary had constituted the three-member committee, comprising Ahmad from Kanpur, Ismail from Malegaon and Ibrahim from Chennai, to look into the allegations against Vastanvi and all other issues concerning both inside and and outside the seminary.
