Goa: Velingkar ready to work as swayamsewak, dissolves rebel faction

Velingkar's Goa Suraksha Manch had contested assembly polls against BJP.

Panaji, Mar 3: Former Goa RSS chief-turned-rebel Subhash Velingkar, whose outfit had contested assembly polls against the ruling BJP last month, is set to 'dissolve' his rebel unit, apparently to enable his supporters to rejoin parent RSS.

He has also expressed his desire to work as an ordinary 'swayamsewak' without any post in RSS.

"We are moving towards dissolution of our 'Goa prant'. This is not a merger with RSS but dissolution. Once that is done, we are free to go to shakhas," said Velingkar who had spearheaded a political movement against BJP by floating Goa Suraksha Manch.

Velingkar, whose GSM was part of the alliance that contested the February 4 assembly polls against the ruling party, had last month hinted at either merging his breakaway 'Goa prant' with RSS or dissolving it.

Incumbent Goa RSS chief Laxman Behre had then said the Sangh would welcome anybody to its fold. Velingkar on Friday clarified that none of the Goa Prant members, including those who had held official positions in RSS before walking out with him, wants to be reinstated post 'dissolution'.

"Everyone, including me, is ready to work as a swayamsevak. We have already been identified as Sangh cadres and we don't require any post to get recognition in society," said Velingkar whose association with RSS is over five-decade-old.

He was relieved as Goa RSS chief last September following his decision to float GSM to counter the BJP during polls. The Velingkar faction had serious differences with BJP over the issue of Medium of Instruction for elementary education in the coastal state.

"The decision of dissolution was arrived at following series of meetings with 'Goa Prant' members who are around 4,000. When we formed 'Goa Prant' before elections, it had been decided that we will go back to parent Sangh after polls. We had separated from RSS Konkan Prant only to avoid unnecessary political pressure," he told PTI.

Velingkar said a formal announcement in this regard might be made on March 6, possibly in a press conference. Interestingly, the Sangh veteran had earlier blamed Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for his ouster.

In September, a large number of RSS workers disassociated themselves with 'Konkan Prant' and joined Velingkar's 'Goa Prant'.

Meanwhile, he said the Goa Prant members would continue their fight for MOI in elementary education in their individual capacity.

"There will be no compromise on our principles. The fight to stop grants to English medium schools and recognise mother tongue as the medium of instruction would continue, but in a personal capacity," Velingkar added.

PTI