Deoband bans smartphones

In a move to ward off “corrupting influence” on students, Asia’s largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband, has banned the use of multimedia mobile phones on its campus. Institute authorities seized 14 handsets with internet access and cameras on Sunday night from students and destroyed them.
Darul Uloom deputy vice-chancellor Maulana Abdul Khalik said authorities acted on complaints that students were misusing multi-media cellphones for “morally un-acceptable purposes”. He said there’s no proscription on simple mobiles without camera or video features.
“Such features cause an adverse effect on academics,” said Maulana Khalik, adding, “We’ve cautioned students.
A source in Darul Uloom’s governing body said the authorities do not have the expertise or mechanism to counter misuse of multimedia phones, and that there was no other way they could have prevented abuse of such phones.
Asked about laptops, a Deoband source said although very few students on the campus own these, any instance of its misuse will be punished. On whether such a ban would deprive students of access to the outside world, the source said, “The faculty provides internet access and students are free to use it. There is no restriction on information technology.” Willy-nilly, the ban has divided the academic community. While junior students insist that the ban would deprive them of keeping abreast with the world, the senior students and faculty members supported the move.