Author:
Publication: Deccan
Chronicle
Date: June 8, 2000
Valsad, June 7: The World
Islamic University, based at Dambvel on Navsari-Surat Road, has threatened
that it would close its account with the Dena Bank, a Government of India
undertaking, if the bank did not do away with its logo of goddess Laxmi.
Earlier for some months,
buckling under pressure of the university, which has deposits worth lakhs
of rupees with the bank, the Dena Bank authorities allegedly had got the
logo of goddess Laxmi covered to appease the university higher-ups, one
of its major clients, official sources said here on Wednesday. A large
number of Muslims students from all over the world come to get trained
in Islamic theology at the university.However, during the recent visit
of State Home Minister Haren Pandya to South Gujarat, the issue was raised
at a press conference.
The instruction of Pandya
to Navsari district superintendent to restore the logo of goddess Laxmi
at Dena Bank's Dambvel branch was implemented by the latter, causing a
furore in the university set-up.
Subsequently, the higher-ups
at the World Islamic University threatened that if the nationalised Dena
Bank persisted with the logo, then it would be compelled to close its account,
sources added.
