The Rashtriya Swaymsevak Sangh (RSS) on Wednesday removed its Goa chief Subhash Velingkar for his continued agitation and protests against State BJP government over the contentious issue of introducing Konkani and Marathi as medium of instruction (MoI) at the primary school level. The action comes a week after an organization run by Mr Welingkar showed black flags to BJP chief Amit Shah during his visit to Goa.

“Subhash Welingkar has been removed from his post with immediate effect for faulting a political outfit and working against Goa government,” said RSS publicity head Manmohan Vaidya. Mr Welingkar had said on Monday that the BJP may not win the election in Goa next year since it had "betrayed" people's trust by going back on its promise of regional languages as a medium of instruction in schools.

The leader has been campaigning against government grants to English medium schools. Welingkar was heading the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manchto which spearheaded the campaign against the BJP government. BJP president Amit Shah had raised the issue with RSS top brass in a meeting last week in Bhopal which was attended Bhaiyaji Joshi and Krishna Gopal. Amit Shah had reportedly raised the issue with RSS top brass at a meeting last week in Bhopal which was attended by the RSS second-in-command Bhaiyaji Joshi and joint general secretary Krishna Gopal. Once a staunch supporter of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Welingkar fell out with him recently for “taking a u-turn” on the language issue.