RSS rebel group in Goa to hold convention on Sept 11

Panaji, Sep 7 RSS rebels in Goa, who recently floated a parallel outfit under the leadership of sacked state chief Subhash Velingkar, will hold a convention on September 11 to work out the future course of action to step up their campaign over the medium of instruction (MOI) issue.

Velingkar, who launched the "RSS Goa Prant" on being "relieved" of his responsibilities by the Sangh after he crossed sword with the BJP over the MOI issue, today said they will chalk out programmes in the meet to strengthen the stir to press for regional launguages like Konkani and Marathi to be made the MOI in schools and stopping of the state support to English medium institutions.

The meet would also reach out to women to join the mother tongue campaign under the banner of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM).

As the convener of BBSM, Velingkar had taken on the Goa's BJP government over its support for English-medium schools and was ousted from his post as Goa unit chief of RSS on August 31.

"Besides various other agenda, we will also deliberate on involving more women in this cause towards the country," Velingkar said.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is in Goa to celebrate Ganesh festival, was expected to break the stalemate between the BBSM and BJP, but nothing has happened so far.

"BBSM has not received any communication from Parrikar. There is no question of supporting the BJP as they have not fulfilled our main demand of withdrawing grants to English medium schools," Velingkar said. He rubbished reports that attempts were being made to restore ties between BBSM and the BJP. "There are no (such) attempts (being made)," he said.

Velingkar was "relieved" as Goa RSS chief on August 31 after BBSM hinted at its intent to float a political party to counter BJP in the 2017 Goa Assembly polls. His supporters had detached themselves from the Konkan prant of RSS, and had formed 'Goa prant', which the RSS senior leadership had refused to recognise.

Velingkar has locked horns with the BJP government headed by Laxmikant Parsekar over the MOI issue, with members of his outfit even showing black flags to party chief Amit Shah during a recent visit to the state. He had recently said the "Sangh unit" in the coastal state will function "independently", at least till the Assembly polls.

However, RSS had been quick to debunk him, saying none of its units can dissociate from the outfit and new office-bearers for Goa will be announced soon.

PTI