Goa RSS chief sacked for his anti-BJP stand on language issue

Panaji, Aug 31 (PTI) RSS today removed its Goa chiefSubhash Velingkar who had crossed swords with ruling BJPgovernment over the medium of instruction issue with membersof his outfit even showing black flags to party chief AmitShah recently, for trying to engage into "political activity"which is contrary to Sangh tradition. Velingkar, the convener of Bharatiya Bhasha SurakshaManch (BBSM) which is fighting for withdrawal of grants toEnglish medium schools and for the cause of promoting regionallanguages as Medium of Instruction (MOI) in the coastal state,has been at loggerheads with the saffron party as well asChief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. However, Sangh said they will continue to support BBSM"to strengthen the system for primary education in mothertongue." "He (Velingkar) has been relieved from hisresponsibilities. He wanted to get into some politicalactivity. Being a Sangh leader, he cannot do that," RSS’ AllIndia Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya told PTI today. Vaidya said the decision on new organisational head forthe coastal state, where elections are due next year, is yetto be taken. RSS’ Konkan prant Sanghachalak Satish Modh said, "As partof the agitation, BBSM had announced formation of a politicalparty. RSS, since its inception, has never been involved inpolitics and hence, RSS would have no role in the politicalendeavour of BBSM. "With this background, it has been announced at a recentmeeting of senior RSS office-bearers in Goa that convener ofBBSM, Subhash Velingkar has been relieved from hisresponsibility as Goa Vibhag Sangh chalak." Backing BBSM’s stand on MoI, Modh stated that RSS is ofthe view that all efforts should be made to strengthen thesystem for primary education in mother tongue across thecountry. "RSS has supported and will continue to support the causeof agitation in Goa by BBSM which is in consonance with theaforesaid opinion of RSS," Modh said in a statement. As part of their agitation, BBSM had announced formationof a political outfit to contest the polls, due next year. Velingkar courted controversy earlier this week byreportedly saying that BJP may not win the election in Goasince it has "betrayed" people’s trust by going back on itspromise of making regional languages as a medium ofinstruction in schools. BBSM had waived black flags to Shah during his visit toGoa on August 20 to launch the party’s campaign for statepolls. Shah had reportedly raised the issue with RSS top brassat a meeting last week in Bhopal which was attended by the RSSsecond-in-command Bhaiyaji Joshi and joint general secretaryKrishna Gopal. (More) PTI RPS NRB NM NSKIKA