Mangaluru : Former union minister B Janardhan Poojary congratulated KPCC president Dr Parameshwara for re-appointing Fazal Rahim as Puttur Block Congress and closing the doors on Hemanath Shetty, who had floated Bharatiya Hindu Parishat (BHP) recently.

Addressing a press conference at the district Congress office here on Sunday, Poojary defied Hemanath Shetty as an egoistic person who doesn’t know the legacy of the Congress and failed to defend his party which had won independence for the country. Shetty has launched the organisation to support the ‘Congress-free India’ concept of Sangha Parivar, Poojary added.

“In the process, he has criticised everyone including freedom fighters. He could have protected people of all communities being a Congressman. Shetty would not have faced this situation had he listened to the advice of district Congress leaders, State leaders or chief minister,” he said.

Poojary came down heavily on Shetty for defying Congress as ‘anti-Hindu’. Congress has organised 80 per cent Hindus with other communities during freedom fight and the party has worked for the development of the nation with all. Those who don’t know the history of the party and just want money and power are making such comments, he added.

“We are running Mangaluru Dasara and Ramanath Rai runs Ganeshotsava for years. Congressmen are active in various Hindu organisations including Bunts and Billava organisations,” he said. Shetty has not read the constitution of the party and was not a committed worker of the party. Congress is a party of workers. It may loss in one election but power is not permanent, he added.