Hindus not united as a community in Goa: RSS

Panaji: Hindus are not united as a religious community in Goa and there is need to join hands for Hindu-related causes, a RSS state functionary said on Thursday, ahead of the organisation`s statewide programme aimed at bringing together members of the majority community.

"They (Hindus) are not united. They are split. That is the main challenge. We come together in various temples. We come together on various festivals, but when we need to come together as Hindus for a cause, we are unable to do that. We neglect it," South Goa Sanghchalak Yeshwant Paradkar told a press conference here.

"We need to think about how we need to come together as a Hindu samaj and work towards nationhood and nation," he also said.

Hindus account for nearly 66 per cent of the state population, while Roman Catholics come next with a population of more than 25 per cent.

Addressing the same press conference, Goa Vibhag Sanghachalak Laxman Behare also said that the upcoming `Hindu Chetana Sangam` was also aimed at "depicting a vivid view of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh strength and unity" to college going youngsters and working youth.A

The programme will be held across January 7, across Goa, where the RSS has faced a split some months back, after Subhash Velingkar, a veteran Sangh volunteer and Sanghachalak for nearly two decades broke away from the parent organisation, after differences with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Behare, officially addressing the media for the first time since the split, sought to refute any rift. 

"Nobody has left Sangh including Velingkar. He himself considers a part of Sangh. We go to him, meet him. We express our views. He doesn`t say that he has left," he said.