More than 400 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers resigned from the organisation's unit in Goa on Wednesday in protest against the sacking of the state chief for taking a stand against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on the issue of the medium of instruction in schools. The mass resignation was carried out only hours after Subhash Velingkar was sacked from his post with the right-wing outfit, reported NDTV.

The shakha workers met and discussed the issue for six hours, where many reportedly blamed BJP leadership and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar of plotting against Velingkar. Ramdas Saraf, south district pramukh of the RSS said: "All office bearers from the district units, sub district units and shakhas with hundreds of others have decided quit from the RSS, until Velingkar Sir is reinstated". Senior RSS leader Jayant Lele said the organisation is a parent body, and the BJP cannot dictate terms to it, The Hindu reported.

On Monday, Velingkar announced that he will form a new party for the 2017 Assembly election in Goa to oppose the BJP in the state. According to PTI, he reportedly said the BJP was unlikely to win the upcoming polls because it did not keep its word on making Konkani and Marathi the medium of instruction in schools.

Velingkar’s Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch has long protested against the state BJP government for patronising English medium schools and sanctioning grants to the Archdiocese-led primary institutions. Volunteers of BBSM had protested using black flags at an event on August 20 that was attended by BJP’s national president Amit Shah.