Four days after Bernard Marak, BJP district president of West Garo Hills, resigned from the party protesting the new central law on cattle trade, another state party leader resigned on Monday citing differences over the same issue.
After submitting his resignation letter to state party president Shibun Lyngdoh, the North Garo Hills district BJP president, Bachu Marak, said that beef eating is the part of Garo culture and he cannot accept the imposition of non-secular ideology by the saffron party.
“I cannot compromise on the sentiments of the Garos. As a Garo, it is my responsibility to protect the interest of my community. Beef eating is part of our culture and tradition. Imposition of BJP’s non-secular ideology on us is not acceptable,” Bachu said.
Bachu had proposed a ‘bitchi’ (rice beer) and beef party in the Garo Hills on his Facebook page recently to mark the Modi government’s three years in office and had attracted party leadership’s criticism.
BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli had warned of stringent action against Bachu.
Later, announcing his resignation from the party in another Facebook post, he said, “My Tradition and Cultures is (sic) my first priority and Party at last. Why is beef every time the issue, why not pig, chicken, goat and other animals.”
Bernard Marak, who had resigned from the party, is organising a beef party at the Eden Bari locality of Tura on June 10 and Bachu is expected to participate in the event.
“I will attend the beef party in Tura to register our voice against such moves of the BJP,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)
