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RSS removes Goa chief Velingkar after BJP’s Amit Shah complains against him

Sacked chief of Goa unit of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Subhash Velingkar on Thursday formed an independent state unit and appointed all office bearers who had resigned from the saffron organisation in the protest of his removal. “Velingkar announced on Monday that he was going to launch a political party. RSS, since its inception, has never been involved in politics, and hence, RSS would have no role in the political endeavour of BBSM”, Modh said.

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Senior RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya had told PTI while dismissing Velingkar, “He has been relieved from his responsibilities”.

Sacked Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar had earlier claimed that hundreds of RSS workers and his supporters have resigned from their posts and has split from Konkan unit forming a separate RSS Goa unit.

Velingkar was removed after BJP President Amit Shah complained against him to the RSS leadership, informed sources said. And according to local leaders, he was spotted at a black flag protest against Shah as well.

Shah had reportedly raised the issue with RSS top brass at a meeting last week in Bhopal which was attended by the RSS second-in-command Bhaiyaji Joshi and joint general secretary Krishna Gopal.

“All office bearers from the district units, sub district units and shakhas along with hundreds of others have made a decision to quit the RSS, until Velingkar Sir is reinstated”, a leader of state unit said.

“See I have said again and again”.

However, Vaidya said, “Konkan prant will announce new office-bearers for Goa in a day or two”. To all of us he is a (Guru).

The gauntlet thrown by the RSS cadres in Goa is more worrisome as it comes on the eve of crucial elections. “He has been our idol”, Arlekar said.

In the recent past, Mr Velingkar had also accused successive BJP-led coalition governments in Goa under Manohar Parrikar and Laxmikant Parsekar of “cheating” people on the issue of medium of instruction.

He had also warned that the BJP may lose the 2017 assembly elections because of this reason.

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The medium of instruction debate in Goa has assumed political overtones after BBSM, which has a tacit RSS support, started openly criticizing the BJP government for also giving grants to English medium schools.

RSS removed its Goa chief Subhash Velingkar on Wednesday