Team Herald
PANJIM: After being at logger-heads with the parent body for almost six months, the RSS Goa Prant was finally merged with the main RSS Konkan Prant.
Former Goa Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief-turned-rebel Subhash Velingkar on Monday officially announced dissolution of Goa RSS Prant, stating it was a temporary arrangement.
Velingkar also clarified that Laxman Behre would continue to be the RSS Sangachalak and also urged swayamsewaks to attend Konkan vibhag’s shaka.
Addressing the media, Velingkar said “Today we dissolve the RSS Goa Prant. The main reason why we had decided to split from the Konkan RSS Prant was only to avoid political pressure which was being created by the sangh body
ahead of the Goa Assembly Elections.”
“The decision to dissolve the unit, which has around 4000 members, was taken collectively by both the units from North and South Goa and now that we have dissolved the members are free to join the RSS konkan prant shakhas,” said Velingkar
Velingkar further said, “I didn’t feel bad after we had split with RSS Konkan prant to form the Goa Prant as it was much-needed to teach a lesson to the BJP, which has been putting pressure on the sangh body. I have even received calls from other states stating the same that BJP was also pressurizing them.”
Asked what the sangh achieved in the last six months after breakaway, Velingkar said the aim behind forming the separate prant was to tell BJP that Sangh should not be taken for granted.
“When we had left the Konkan prant we never contacted the Nagpur or Konkan sangh neither have we done now,” he said.
He further added that Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) and Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) will continue their fight for stopping grants to English medium schools and continue to support local regional languages.
“There will be no compromise on our principles. The fight to stop grants to English medium schools and recognize mother tongue as the medium of instruction would continue,” Velingkar added.
“We have faced elections under the banner of Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM). It was decided that we will form the Goa Prant and stay separate from Konkan Prant of RSS to avoid the pressure by the pro-BJP forces in the Sangh.
“Now that the elections are over, we have decided to merge Goa Prant with RSS and dissolve the unit,” Velingkar said.
