RSS rebel group led by Velingkar holds convention in Goa

RSS rebel group led by regional language crusader Subhash Velingkar on Sunday held its convention in a show of strength a day after the Sangh leadership sent a stern message that dissension would not be allowed in the organisation by naming a new head for the state.

Addressing the meeting attended by nearly 2,000 supporters near here, Velingkar defended his move to float a parallel outfit saying some leaders wanted to dictate terms to them and they could not compromise on ideology.

He asserted "we will remain swayamsevaks till our last breath".

"Sarsanghchalak can be wrong, but the Sangh cannot," said Velingkar said, "You will not find a single swayamsevak who agrees with the BJP's move to support English language".

He had recently launched the "RSS Goa Prant" on being "relieved" of his responsibilities by the Sangh after he crossed sword with the BJP on the medium of instruction issue.

The Sangh on Saturday had appointed Laxman Behre as 'Goa Vibhag Sangh Chalak', in a snub to the rebels who had broken away from the Sangh's Konkan 'prant' to protest Velingkar's ouster and formed a separate Goa 'prant' under him.

Velingkar quoted a story from Sangh founder K B Hedgewar's autobiography in which he narrated his experience with child RSS volunteers and their conversation with them.

He said Hedgewar himself had told the children that "Sarsanghchalak can be wrong, but Sangh cannot be wrong".

"Sangh is the only organisation which has its ideology as its guru. We consider saffron flag as guru and not any individual. This is because a human can err, ideologies will always remain a guiding force."

"We had this experience during BBSM agitation. Some leaders wanted to dictate terms to us. That was not acceptable to us due to which we created this parallel system," he said.

Velingkar sassing never takes part in agitation, the swayamsevaks take part.

"We have given support to Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM). RSS has given full freedom to contribute towards the agitations which are nationalist, you don't require permission for that," he said.

"But the day we realised that we were being obstructed, we kept away the system, not the Sangh. Our support is not conditional or for the namesake. You will not find a single swayamsevak who agrees with the BJP's move to support English language," he said.