Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Feb 9: President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Dr Parameshwar on Monday February 9 indicated that Congressman Vijaynath Vittal Shetty may be axed from the party if he takes part in the upcoming VHP Hindu Virat Samajotsava. The event is scheduled to be held on March 1 with Vijaynath Shetty presiding.

Addressing a press meet at the Circuit House here during his visit to review the Congress membership drive, Parameshwar, replying to reporters' queries, said, "If anyone from Congress takes part in the VHP Samajotsava, he will be removed from the party. We will send observers and review the situation with senior party functionaries."

Asked if individuals in the Congress party have no right to participate in religious events, he said, "This event has been organized by the sister concern of another political party. We will not allow our party members to keep one leg in one party and another in Congress."

On the sacking of Hemanath Shetty from the post of Puttur block Congress president days after he founded the Bharatiya Hindu Parishad (BHP), Dr Parameshwar said, "I have changed many people from their posts. This power is delegated to the KPCC president. Hemanath Shetty has been the Puttur block Congress from last 8 years, so I have the right to decide. We will also decide if he can be given any other post.

"Congress believes in inclusive politics. No can form an isolated organization. There is no approval for BHP from Congress. This is a larger issue. I will send senior observers to the district, and after examining their report, the executive committee will decide on the future course of action," he said, adding, "There is no provision in Congress for any outfit representing any particular religion."

Explaining about the Congress membership drive in the state and the purpose of his visit, he said, "The membership drive is going on throughout the state. I have come to review the campaign here. There is confusion among block-level and district-level committees, there are certain decisions they cannot take, hence I am touring the state to help sort out the issues. I have already visited nine districts and Dakshina Kannada is the 10th one.

"We have already completed 60 percent of the membership campaigns. February 15 is the last date. During the campaign, Congress is collecting information through data bank system, where information regarding all the 60,000 booths in the state will be made available with KPCC and AICC in computerised data form. This will help in party organization. As per AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi's instructions, booth and block level committees have been formed for this purpose, and Karnataka is one of the states where this initiative has been taken up on pilot basis. This is a challenge and we will successfully complete it," he explained.

"Also, Rahul Gandhi, after holding discussions with the KPCC, has come up with a working paper, a set of rules in which we have evaluated where we need to change our ideologies and how relevant our ideologies are to the present youth, how to uplift the economically and socially backward classes through sustained efforts, how to frame strategies during elections and restructure the organization by collecting opinions from all districts. We also held a three-day meet in Bengaluru in the presence of AICC general secretary, in which 400 leaders, including MLAs and MPs from all over the state discussed and gave their opinions," Parameshwar said.

"We have already completed 1.8 years in power, during which we initiated several development programmes for the people. The party will evaluate how far these programmes have reached the people and made an impact, and course correction, if needed will be made," he added.

On the Arkavathi denotification issue, he said, "The CM has not done anything against the law. Circumstantial evidence points that the previous BJP government had take this decision. If CM has done anything against the law, let BJP and JD(S) complain to institutions like Lokayukta, as Congress had done during Yeddyurappa's regime."

On the controversy surrounding the use of word 'redo' in the government record on Arkavathi, which the opposition claims means the same as 'denotify', he said, "The meaning of the word depends on how you interpret it. The court has to decide whether it is legal or illegal."

Asked about the possibility of his become deputy CM, he quipped, "Only Parameshwara (God) knows."

To a question on state government's failure to arrest Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat for alleged provocative speeces, he said, "There is IPC and police officers to take action against those who violate the law. When they cannot take action they will approach the CM and the home minister. Police are free to take action. We cannot deal with it just by saying 'our government and our time'. If law is violated police are there to take action."

On the long-pending issue of electing Congress DK district president, he said it will be done after the membership campaign.

Ibrahim Kodijal, Ivan D'Souza, T K Sudhir and others were present.