Gujarat's ruling BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission seeking to bar ousted vice-chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi from entering the state following his allegedly provocative utterances against chief minister Narendra Modi. Vastanvi was removed from the post of vice-chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband, the second largest Islamic seminary in the world, for praising Modi's development policy in January 2011.

BJP's media cell convenor Jagdish Bhavsar said: "The statements made by Vastanvi, during a Congress party minority cell programme in Surat, are provocative and harmful to the state's peaceful atmosphere. We have complained to the Election Commission to bar Vastanvi from entering Gujarat".

"Maulana Vastanvi has used the platform of Congress party to incite communal passions among various communities and tried to create a rift in state's communal amity," Bhavsar added.

"Vastanvi's utterance of wrongful words against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is a violation of the model code of conduct," Bhavsar said, adding the Surat BJP unit has demanded his arrest and strict action.

BJP national vice-president Purushottam Rupala said the use of words "zalim" (tyrant) against Modi and asking Muslims to vote for Congress is a violation of code of conduct. The Election Commission should take strict action against him for using such words."

Addressing a public rally organised by the minority cell of Congress at Tarkeshwar in Mandvi taluka of Surat district on Sundayday, Vastanvi had said it was a crime to praise a "zalim" (tyrant) and that he never praised Modi.

"To praise a 'zalim' (tyrant) is a crime. I never praised Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi," Vastanvi said.