Velingkar quits politics to form federation of Hindu outfits

He stepped down as the chief of the Goa Suraksha Manch, a political outfit floated by him after quitting the RSS in 2016. Velingkar (71) lost the Panaji Assembly bypoll in May last year that was necessitated due to the death of then chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

Former Goa RSS unit chief Subhash Velingkar on Tuesday announced his retirement from active politics and said he will form a "Federation of Hindu Organisations' in the BJP-ruled state. He stepped down as the chief of the Goa Suraksha Manch, a political outfit floated by him after quitting the RSS in 2016.

Velingkar (71) lost the Panaji Assembly bypoll in May last year that was necessitated due to the death of then chief minister Manohar Parrikar. Addressing a press conference here, Velingkar announced his retirement from active politics to form a state- level "Federation of Hindu Organisations'.

"My parent organisation Bharat Mata Ki Jai has asked me to resign from active politics and take responsibility of forming a Federation of Hindu Organisations in Goa," he said. He said his aim was to fight forces like the Popular Front of India, which he alleged, was carrying out "jihad" under the garb of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"The Church in Goa should not be associated with activities of the PFI," he said.