Maulana Ghulam Vastanvi, who had praised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his developmental policies, was removed as head of the famous Darul Uloom Deoband Islamic seminary in this Uttar Pradesh town.
Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani was appointed as the acting vice chancellor of the 145-year-old Darul Uloom Deoband, India's most prestigious and influential Islamic seminary.
The decision to replace Vastanvi was taken at an advisory board meeting of the seminary which voted against the Maulana who had raised hackles for praising Modi.
"The vice-chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband (Vastanvi) has been removed from his post," Nomani, said after a meeting of the powerful Majlis-e-Shura.
Nine members of the board voted against Vastanvi and four voted in his favour.