The Goa unit of the RSS may have contested the assembly election separately to protest against the ruling BJP, but the rebel group on Monday said it will merge with its Nagpur-based parent organisation to resume its work of spreading the RSS ideology.
The Goa unit of the RSS may have contested the assembly election separately to protest against the ruling BJP, but the rebel group on Monday said it will merge with its Nagpur-based parent organisation to resume its work of spreading the RSS ideology.
The Goa rebel unit of the RSS said it will merge with its Nagpur-based parent organisation to resume its work of spreading the RSS ideology.(PTI File/ Representational Photo)
Making a formal announcement at a press conference, Subhash Velingkar, chief of the RSS Goa Prant, said, “After much discussion and debate, we have decided to join hands with the RSS and resume our work of spreading the RSS ideology in the state. From now on, we will be supporting all the issues which the RSS has nationwide.”
The RSS Goa Prant contested the election under the banner of the Goa Suraksha Manch.
Velingkar said workers of the Goa RSS Prant will now be attending the Konkan Vibhag Shakha, the outfit of their parent organisation in Goa.
“It does not matter to us who gets what when we join back into the Konkan Vibhag Shakha but we want people to know that nobody can take us -- the RSS -- for granted. Also if the BJP takes the RSS for granted, the RSS will not support the party,” he said.
The announcement came after four meetings held between the core members of the organization, including Subhash Dessai, Krishnaraj Sukerkar, Ramdas Saraf, Pravin Neswankar, and Goa Suraksha Manch president Anand Shirodhkar.
The alliance of the Goa Suraksha Manch, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Shiv Sena had criticised the ruling BJP for funding English-medium schools instead of supporting those where the medium of instruction is Konkani.
Sources said that after the election, the RSS Goa Prant was uncertain about the results and was therefore in a rush to re-unite with its parent organisation.
Meanwhile, the RSS was reportedly happy with the merger as a lot of senior leaders of the organisation had joined the Goa Prant.
Sources said the RSS was worried about the split as it had weakened the organisation’s structure in the coastal state.