In an act of open defiance, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Goa on Thursday responded to the removal of its chief Subhash Velingkar by announcing the formation of ‘Goa State RSS Prant,’ dissociating itself from the Konkan Prant which had axed him.
The decision was announced at a press conference here, where Mr. Velingkar declared that all the office-bearers who resigned on Wednesday evening were being reinstated. Over 400 RSS volunteers had, at a meeting on Wednesday, announced their resignation in protest against Mr. Velingkar’s unceremonious sacking.
Mr. Velingkar said this was not a rebellion. But the Goa RSS would henceforth report directly to Nagpur. All the activities of the RSS would continue as usual across the State. But on the issue of the medium of instruction (MoI) in primary schools, any instruction from the RSS that was not in line with the Nagaur, Rajasthan March 15, 2016 resolution of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) would not be accepted.
Lashes out at Parrikar Mr. Velingkar lashed out at Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, calling him the “biggest liar” for betraying the BBSM. He reiterated his support to any decision the BBSM took to teach the BJP government a fitting lesson.
Vaidya plays down dissent
The RSS, facing a desertion in its ranks in Goa after the leadership removed its vibhag (unit) chief Subhash Velingkar from his post, played down the incident and said “no RSS unit can disassociate from a prant (State unit) on its own” and that the new office-bearers of the Goa vibhag would be announced shortly.
“No unit of RSS can disassociate from a prant [division] on its own. It is a decision of the kendra (central leadership). Goa unit of the RSS is and will remain a vibhag in Konkan Prant. New office-bearers of the Goa Vibhag will be announced shortly,” RSS’ prachar pramukh ( spokesperson) Manmohan Vaidya announced on Twitter on Thursday.
Mr. Velingkar had opposed the State’s BJP-led government’s decision to continue funding English medium schools. The funding has been a sore point with many in the Sangh, who want these funds for schools that have the local language as a medium of instruction.
Later, Mr. Vaidya said, “The news that he [Mr. Velingkar] has been sacked for doing anti-BJP activities is incorrect and wrong.”
While Mr. Velingkar has blamed the BJP Goa-in-charge and Roads and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Defence Minister and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for his issues with the party, the RSS has given a different explanation for his dissent.
