Goa RSS chief resigns from committee set up for CM's birthday

Panaji: In an embarrassment to the BJP-led Goa government, state RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar has resigned from the committee formed to celebrate the 60th birthday of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, next week.

"I know it is a very emotional moment for a human being when it is his 60th birthday...That is the reason I had given my consent to be a part of the committee. But, now I have resigned," Velingkar told reporters here last evening.

Notably, the RSS Goa chief is a convenor of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), a forum that has been agitating against state government for its failure to withdraw grants to schools which has English as its medium of instruction (MOI).

The outfit has also been advocating to make vernacular languages as the medium of instruction in primary schools.

"During my recent tour of the state as a part of BBSM agitation, I realised that several people were angry that I was part of this committee," Velingkar said.

"Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar and now Laxmikant Parsekar betrayed Goans over the MOI issue. They had assured to announce mother tongue as MOI and withdraw grants to English medium schools. And that is the reason why I decided to resign from the committee," he said.

Parsekar would be celebrating his 60th birthday on July 4. A public reception will be organised on July 5 at the Taleigao community centre near here.