MoI issue: RSS, BJP war of words turns shriller in Goa

The ongoing bickering between RSS and ruling BJP in Goa over the issue of medium of instruction (MOI) in schools escalated today on reports of a meeting between Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and party chief Amit Shah wherein the former sought replacement of Sangh's state unit chief.
RSS, which has been demanding education in schools in regional languages, has opposed the state government's stand on providing grants to English medium schools.
As per reports, Parsekar had demanded replacement of RSS state unit chief Subhash Velingkar during his meeting with Shah in Delhi recently.
The Bharatiya Bhasha Surkasha Manch (BBSM) has been holding agitations demanding grants only for those schools who have regional languages as MoI.

"BJP has no control over Sangh as it is an independent organisation. Right from top to bottom, none of the BJP leaders has capability to touch RSS leaders. RSS is an independent organisation. BJP is not governing appointments or changes in the sangh," Velignkar told reporters while addressing a press conference on MoI issue.
Interestingly, Velingkar had recently criticised the BJP- led government over the issue, appealing people "not to allow these people (BJP) on your doorstep during election".

Responding to a query on the meeting between Parsekar and Shah, the RSS leader said he had no knowledge about it.

Another RSS leader Raju Sukerkar said, "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 (Velingkar's) stature in Sangh".
Sukerkar said Velingkar has been getting support from common people on the MoI issue.
The government has been under fire from RSS and BBSM for continuing giving grants to English medium schools affiliated to Church's Diocesan Board of Education.
Another RSS leader Subhash Desai said the government has created "confusion" over the issue.
"The CM has been maintaining that government's stand is that MoI should be regional languages. But his deputy Francis D'Souza has made a statement that primary education can be in any language even in English. Why this discrepancy in the statements?" he asked.

Desai said the common people wanted to know the exact position of the government on the issue.
He clarified that RSS and BBSM are two different organisations and that BJP should not confuse people on this.
"The 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 was consulted by the government. We would have strongly opposed such a decision," Desai said.