Removal of RSS' Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar over the medium of instruction (MoI) issue was anticipated as one of the possibilities, Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), of which he is a convener, said today.
"It is not that we had not anticipated this kind of situation. While deciding to agitate on the medium of instruction issue, we had considered all possibilities," senior BBSM leader Pundalik Naik told PTI.
His reaction came hours after Velingkar was relieved as the Goa Vibhag Sanghchalak by RSS after he announced his intention to float a political outfit to contest Legislative Assembly elections in Goa, due next year.
Velingkar was part of the group that had shown black flags to BJP president Amit Shah during the latter's recent visit to the coastal state.
RSS has been opposing the state government's stand on providing grants to English medium schools while demanding that education in schools be imparted in regional languages.
BBSM has been agitating for withdrawal of grants being given by government to English medium schools.
Naik said "When BBSM was formed, some like-minded people had joined hands in their individual capacities to protect the regional languages. Velingkar was not on BBSM by the virtue of being RSS Goa chief. He had come as an individual."
He recalled that Velingkar was given responsibility as BBSM convener after its president Shashikala Kakodkar, former Chief Minister of Goa, took ill.
"Many other RSS workers who are working actively for BBSM had anticipated such kind of situation (Velingkar's removal)," he said, adding that BBSM will continue its fight for regional languages as the medium of instruction (MoI) in state.
Velingkar was not available for comment since morning despite repeated calls and text messages.
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