Sacked RSS Goa chief blames Parrikar, Gadkari

Panaji, Sep 1: Breaking his silence after being sacked as the chief of RSS in Goa for attacking BJP over the issue of medium of instruction in schools, Subhash Velingkar today blamed Union ministers Manohar Parrikar and Nitin Gadkari for the action against him.

Velingkar, who claimed that hundreds of RSS workers and supporters have rallied behind him, also asserted that the Sangh unit in the coastal state will function independently of the parent body, at least till the Assembly polls next year.

"I was not shocked. I was anticipating it (the ouster).

(Manohar) Parrikar and Nitin Gadkari are powerful at the Centre. They have (been) strongly lobbying there. They must have tried for it. They must have wrongly fed the RSS high command," Velingkar said. [Sacked Goa RSS chief not to contest elections]

Velingkar, who was heading the RSS's state unit, was "relieved of his responsibilities" by the Sangh headquarters, for stridently taking on the BJP over the medium of instruction issue through Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) floated by him.

Action against Velingkar saw a large number of RSS workers in the state resigning in solidarity with him.

"There is a possibility of Gadkari and Parrikar misreporting to the RSS headquarter on the issue. Parrikar is very much behind this. For them, I was the only focal point and they tried to break the (Medium of Instruction) movement.

Later they will repent for doing it," said Velingkar.

He also said that RSS in Goa will detach itself from the main unit (parent body headquartered in Nagpur) till the State Legislative Assembly elections (due in March 2017), and after that they will request to get associated with the Sangh.

"Yesterday there was a meeting of RSS workers. A total of 600 people were present there. All the workers have resigned from their posts. Now we have no links with Konkan unit. Today we are going to make a special announcement in the evening. We will make sure that RSS Goa unit is intact and will play the same role which it used to in the past. Shakhas will continue, we have all the machinery in place," he said.

"We feel that higher-ups faced problem because of our agitation (led by BBSM). But that is not correct. Their (his detractors') stand is not in consonance with the resolution adopted at All India level (to protect mother tongue in their respective states," Velingkar said.

"We are not banking on them (the main RSS), we have detached Goa unit from Konkan prant (region). We will remain as RSS, we will be RSS Goa. We will continue as RSS. We will reinstate the people (officials on their posts)," he said.

Asked whether he would head the RSS Goa, Velingkar said they (workers) will decide on it.

"We will continue respecting the Sarsanghchalak. We will continue this arrangement till (Assembly) elections and after that we will request them (main unit) to get us affiliated directly," he said.

PTI