Mangaluru: Even as the former union minister B Janardhana Poojary has warned against forming a Hindu outfit to strengthen the Congress party, a party activist from Dakshina Kannada has now sought high command’s nod for the Bharatiya Hindu Parishat (BHP).

Hemanath Shetty, the Puttur block Congress president, who has floated the BHP, as an alternative to the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP), has expressed hope that party the party leaders in Delhi would consider his request.

Mr Shetty, who met KPCC leaders in Bengaluru on Tuesday, told reporters that he would soon meet senior Congress leaders in Delhi to get their support for the BHP.

“I will make an effort to convince them as to why the Congress should make an effort to create an impression that it is not against Hindus and BJP/VHP does not own Hindus,” he said.

Meanwhile, B Ramanath Rai, the district in-charge minister for Dakshina Kannada said that he had nothing to do with BHP. “Even the Congress party has nothing to do with it,” he added.

Mr Shetty said that the BJP and VHP had been successful projecting themselves as pro-Hindu outfits.

“But, all Hindus do not identify themselves with these two organisations. Hence, there is a need for the Congress to show that it is also with people of all religions including Hindus,” he said.

The activities of BHP would be spread to Udupi and Kodagu after Dakshina Kannada. Vishnu Sahasra yaga would be conducted as part of the launch and Yedaneeru Mutt Keshavananda Bharati Swamiji has been invited for the programme, he said.

Mangaluru: Expressing his ire towards Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa for his criticism of the Congress-led state government, veteran Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary questioned the authority of the former to criticise the government which is the job of the opposition in the legislative assembly.

Addressing media persons at a press conference here on Monday, the former union minister said that it was the duty of a Speaker of the Assembly to perform his duties without any discrimination. “To point out the shortcomings of the government, there exists the opposition in the Legislative Assembly. Those who served as Assembly Speakers have upheld the respect and dignity of the post. Have you forgotten that there are rules of procedure during sessions in the assembly?” he questioned Mr Thimmappa.

He also questioned the latter why he had not set things right in the health ministry when he had been the state health minister earlier. People are of the opinion that he is criticising the government since he was not given the portfolio of health ministry, said Mr Poojary.

He also reproached Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining silent when certain ministers from his Cabinet made communally-inflammatory remarks. Soon, the country which is being run by Modi will be run not from New Delhi, but from Nagpur, he said, urging the union government to concentrate on developmental schemes instead of their Hindutva agenda.

When asked about the Hindutva organisation reportedly floated by the Congress in Puttur taluk, Mr Poojary said that the Congress district president Ramanath Rai had already clarified that there were no such developments by the party. “If the organisation was to be launched as part of Congress, have they taken permission from the AICC?” he demanded.

“If such a thing occurs, we will all have to commit suicide,” he jested.