PANJIM: After the revelation that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Goa has asked its central leadership in Delhi for the removal of Subhash Velingkar as the RSS chief in Goa, the right-wing leader has shot back at the saffron party daring it to touch its leaders in the State.
At a press briefing on behalf of Bharatiya Bhasha Surkasha Manch (BBSM) on Thursday, Velingkar said the party has no control over the sangh as it is independent organization. “Right from top to bottom, none from BJP leadership has capability to touch RSS leaders. The sangh is an independent organisation. BJP is not governing appointments or changes in the sangh,” he said.
The fight between BJP and RSS over the contentious Medium of Instruction (MoI) issue has taken an ugly turn with the matter reaching the BJP headquarters in Delhi. In a meeting with BJP national president Amit Shah and national RSS in Delhi recently, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar have sought Velingkar’s ouster as his outbursts against the BJP could play spoilsport in the 2017 Assembly elections. The organisation has alleged that the party has misguided Shah on the issue. Velingkar, however, stated he was oblivious about any such meeting.
“Velingkar is a part of such a huge organisation that no one can touch his position. Anyone speaking against him does not make any difference to his stature in the sangh,” RSS leader Raju Sukerkar said. He added, “He has reached every household during the BBSM agitation. His is a common name and people look up to him. People are supporting him in this agitation.”
BBSM has been criticising BJP over the MoI policy after the State government decided to continue giving grants to 127-odd English medium schools. The RSS even went on to blame the party for misleading and backstabbing the people of Goa.
Another RSS leader Subhash Desai questioned the confusion created by the government over the issue. “CM has been mentioning that the government’s stand is that MoI should be in the regional language. But Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza has made a statement that primary education can be in any language even English. Why this discrepancy in the statements?” he said, demanding to know the government’s clear stand.
He clarified that RSS and BBSM are two different organisations and BJP should not confuse the people. “A statement was made that RSS was taken into confidence before giving grant to English medium schools. This is an utter lie. Neither RSS nor BBSM were consulted by the government. We would have strongly opposed such a decision,” Desai said.
BBSM has also decided to go-ahead with the public meeting at the municipal ground and Ravindra Bhavan both at Sanquelim threatening court arrest. The government had denied permission for the meeting.
Meanwhile, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has claimed that the MoI issue has been politicised as he denied any discrimination made to any section. “MoI is politicised in the run up to the 2017 elections than concentrating on the quality of education. We need to think beyond that. We are raising the issue when it is already resolved but some people think it isn’t,” he said.
