Deoband outraged over report linking it to Jaish

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom of Deoband has found itself freshly linked to Islamic terror, something it has been struggling to shrug off for a long time, reports Zia Haq.

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom of Deoband has found itself freshly linked to Islamic terror, something it has been struggling to shrug off for a long time.

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In its report ‘Combatting Terrorism’, the administrative reforms committee headed by Congress leader Veerappa Moily said (Jaish-e-Mohammad chief) Masood Azhar “interacted extensively with the leading figures of the Deoband Ulema” in 1994.

“No terrorist has ever set soil on our campus. This is a very serious allegation. The Prime Minister has to explain who Masood Azhar had met and where,” Marghuboor Rahman, Darul Uloom’s 85-year-old rector told HT.

Pointing out the report, BJP leader Vinay Katiyar on Friday demanded a ban on the seminary.

Recently India had objected to Pakistan’s suggestion at the UN that Darul Uloom exercised influence over Pakistani jihadis, stating that it was a “respected institution of the country”.

But the seminary has been under the scanner since 9/11, as several jihadi organisations have identified themselves as Deobandi — a puritanical school of Islamic thought followed widely in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

However, Darul vice-rector A.K. Madrasi said the seminary could not be held responsible for the actions of those subscribing to its ideology.