Goa's Swayamsevaks furious over RSS action to 'drop' Velingkar
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 31 August 2016 20:21 IST
A file photo during Bhagwat's Goa visit
Hundreds of Swayamsevak gathered at the Hedgewar high school in Panaji today evening to discuss the sudden action by Sarsanghchalak to ‘sack’ Velingkar in a most unprecedented manner.
According to sources, they literally pounced upon a five-member high level team of Konkan region of the RSS, who are down in Goa to deal with the issue.
While demanding that Velingkar be immediately reinstated, sources said, most of the Swayamsevak also sought an explanation from the RSS leadership on compromising their principle of primary education in the mother tongue.
RSS spokesperson Manmohan Vaidya has already confirmed that Velingkar has been relieved of his responsibility by Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, due to his decision to float a political party to defeat the BJP in the next Assembly election.
Velingkar is the convenor of the Bharatiya Bhasha Manch, led by RSS, demanding withdrawal of government grants to over 130 Church-run English medium schools.
Satish Modh, the Konkan prant Sanghachalak of RSS, also released a press note in this regard, making the stand of the saffron organisation clear on the issue:
“RSS is of the firm opinion that the system of primary education in mother tongue should be strengthened in India. RSS has supported and will continue to support the cause of agitation in Goa by the BBSM, which is in consonance with the aforesaid opinion of the RSS.
As a part of the agitation, BBSM has made announcement about formation of a political party. RSS, since its inception, has never been involved in politics, and hence, RSS would have no role in the political endeavour of BBSM.
In view of this, it has been announced in recent meeting of senior RSS workers of Goa that convenor of the BBSM Prof Subhash Velingkar will not hold responsibily as the Goa Vibhag Sanghachalak.”
While no RSS leader from Goa has officially responded to this so far, BJP leaders have also avoided reacting to it, stating that it is an internal matter of the RSS.
“As a Swayamsevak, I would say this should have not happened”, said BJP chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, but refused to express himself further on the issue.
Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar, who was spared by the BBSM for his support to them in violation of the party stand, said: “Velingkar has been hero to all of us. He has been our idol.”
He however felt that RSS, being a matured organisation, must have taken a right decision.
Deputy Chief Minister Francisco D’Souza refused to comment, stating that he does not belong to RSS.
Opposition leader Pratapsing Rane, of the Congress, however strongly felt that BJP cannot be separated from RSS.
“The core of the BJP is RSS”, he said.
