Panaji, Feb 11 (IANS): The Congress in Goa Wednesday hit out at Manohar Parrikar over his comments published in the media about the controversial 'ghar-wapsi' programme, where the former state chief minister was quoted as saying that the re-conversion programme "could never touch Goa".

The Congress now claims that Parrikar's alleged comments made to the Goan Catholic Welfare Union and reported in the media Tuesday, confirmed that the re-conversion programme was being calibrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

"When he gives an assurance that ghar-wapsi 'could never touch Goa', that means a programme like this does exist and the BJP is pushing it. Or else, how can he claim to control it," Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar said at a press conference at the party's headquarters in Panaji.

The local media had published the comments along with a press statement issued by the Catholic union Tuesday.

"Parrikar said he will take up the Delhi church issue with the union home minister (Rajnath Singh) and with respect to 'ghar-wapsi', he assured it could never touch Goa," he said.

Parrikar's assurance, as published in the media, comes ahead of the forthcoming Panaji assembly by-election, which was necessitated after the former Goa chief minister was elevated to the union cabinet as defence minister by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While the 1.5 million population in Goa includes around 26.5 percent Catholics, Panaji too has a significant number of Catholic voters.

Kawthankar also said Parrikar should have made the comments against 'ghar-wapsi' at the national level where it mattered.

"BJP MPs, party supporters and the RSS cadre have been actively speaking for ghar-wapsi, so what stops Parrikar from opposing it at the national level where it matters? Why should his assurance be limited to Goa alone," Kawthankar said.

Four candidates are contesting the Feb 13 by-poll. They include Parrikar's former aide Sidharth Kunkolienkar (of the BJP), current mayor Surendra Furtado (Congress) and two independents.