Sena backs sacked RSS Goa unit chief

Mumbai, Sep 2 (PTI) Sacked Goa RSS unit chief SubhashVelingkar has received support from the Shiv Sena, which saidhe has done no crime by demanding that regional languages bepromoted in Goa schools. Sena said the BJP government came to power in Goa on theback of its election promise of promoting regional languages,but reneged from it now. "If he (Velingkar) asked the government to not givegrants to English medium schools and promote Konkani andMarathi, what crime has he done? When (Defence minister)Manohar Parrikar was Leader of Opposition, he had demanded thesame thing from then Congress government," it said in aneditorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ today. "Parrikar, with help from Velingkar had also initiated amovement to press for their demands which resulted in themgetting the reigns of power. But they (the BJP) went back ontheir words and supported English medium schools. They havebroken their promise," it said. Sena said the recent events in Goa were a classic exampleof "attempting to bury the movement" to promote one’s locallanguage and claimed that the state government there was"plagued by corruption, adultery and anarchy." "If on one side sympathy is being shown for Baluchistan,how correct is it to cut the feathers of a bird that istoiling hard to promote local language in one’s homeland. Thisis an attempt to murder Goa’s culture," the BJP ally said. Attacking the Goa government on the issue of risingnumber of casinos and gambling, Sena said it will need toanswer people in the upcoming election if it has no connivancewith the drug mafia that is selling drugs freely in the state. "The BJP had said if it came to power, it would put anend to casinos and gambling dens. But their number has onlyincreased. The government allows all this to happen butVelingkar was termed a criminal. Not only the Goa CM, but evenhis remote controller in Delhi needs to answer what crime didhe do or what was his fault," it said. RSS on Wednesday removed Velingkar as its Goa chief ashe had crossed swords with ruling BJP government demanding thepromotion of local languages in schools. Velingkar subsequently decided to float a parallel unitand said he and his supporters would function independently ofthe parent body till the 2017 Assembly polls. PTI MM ARSSRYRYS