 	  (py-continuation-line-p)
 	  (not py-honor-comment-indentation)
 	  (looking-at "#[^ \t\n]"))	; non-indenting #
-      (backward-delete-char-untabify count)
+      (funcall py-delete-function count)
     ;; else indent the same as the colon line that opened the block
 
     ;; force non-blank so py-goto-block-up doesn't ignore it

;; Functions for Python style indentation
(defun py-delete-char (count)
  "Reduce indentation or delete character.
If point is at the leftmost column, deletes the preceding newline.

Else if point is at the leftmost non-blank character of a line that is
neither a continuation line nor a non-indenting comment line, or if

;; called py-mode-hook, and was not defvar'd.  deprecate its use.
(and (fboundp 'make-obsolete-variable)
     (make-obsolete-variable 'py-mode-hook 'python-mode-hook))

(defvar py-delete-function 'backward-delete-char-untabify
  "*Function called by `py-delete-char' when deleting characters.")

(defvar py-mode-map ()
  "Keymap used in `python-mode' buffers.")
