RSS debunks Velingkar’s claim

New Delhi, Sept 1 ({PTI) RSS today debunked its sackedGoa unit chief Subhash Velingkar’s claims that many workershave resigned and the local unit will function independentlyof the parent body, saying none of its units can dissociatefrom the outfit and new office-bearers will be announced soon. "No unit of RSS can dissociate from a Prant on its own.It is a decision of Kendra (centre). Goa unit of RSS is andwill remain a vibhag (cell) in Konkan prant. New officebearers of Goa vibhag will be announced shortly," RSSall-India communications department head Manmohan Vaidya said. Velingkar has claimed that hundreds of RSS workers andhis supporters have resigned from their posts and has splitfrom Konkan unit forming a separate RSS Goa unit. "Last night several RSS workers have resigned fromtheir their posts. We have now split from Konkan prant forminga separate RSS Goa prant," Velingkar told reporters here. He, however, hastened to add that "we will approachthe parent body seeking affiliation after the assembly pollsin March 2017." RSS had yesterday sacked its Goa chief Subhash Velingkarwho had crossed swords with the ruling BJP government over themedium of instruction issue with members of his outfit evenshowing black flags to party chief Amit Shah recently, fortrying to engage into "political activity" which is contraryto Sangh tradition. "He (Velingkar) has been relieved from hisresponsibilities. He wanted to get into some politicalactivity. Being a Sangh leader, he can’t do that," Vaidya saidyesterday. Vaidya said the decision on new organisational head forthe coastal state, where elections are due next year, is yetto be taken. RSS also sought to lend support to the cause of Velingkarand his outfit, the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM),saying RSS is of the firm opinion that all efforts should bemade to strengthen the system for primary education in MotherTongue in all parts of the country. "RSS has supported and will continue to support the causeof agitation in Goa by Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM)which is in consonance with the aforesaid opinion of RSS. "As a part of the agitation, BBSM has made announcementabout formation of a political party. RSS, since itsinception, has never been involved in politics, and hence, RSSwould have no role in the political endeavour of BBSM," Vaidyasaid in a statement yesterday. 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. PTI SKCRG