Setback for BJP as another Garo leader quits

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Tura, Jun 6: Meghalaya BJP suffered another setback with the resigtion of the party’s North Garo Hills district president Bachu Marak resigned on Monday.  

His exit from the party has forced party functiories of the district to call for an emergent meeting to chalk out road map ahead of upcoming Meghalaya assembly election in 2018.

Bachu was working closely with party aspirants from Resubelpara, Kharkutta and Mendipathar to make grounds for the BJP in North Garo Hills. Though he had no plans to contest the upcoming election, he was steering BJP’s wheel in the district.

His resigtion has send alarm bells ringing for BJP. There are strong resentment against BJP’s state and central leadership in Garo hills and many BJP leaders and members are likely to follow suit.  “I had no plans to contest upcoming election. I wanted to make BJP acceptable for the people of Garo hills. We were upbeat and were working to strengthen its base. The party leadership has failed to acknowledge our hardwork and our sentiments”, Bachu said.

When asked, if he was contemplating to join any other political parties in Meghalaya, Marak said, “As of now I have no plans to join any political parties whatsoever. However, I would discuss with other colleagues regarding further course of action and take the decision accordingly.”

His resigtion comes close on the heels of BJP’s West Garo Hills president Berrd Marak’s resigtion on the issue of “beef ban”. Bachu had attracted party leadership tiol spokesperson lin Kohli’s criticism following his statement on facebook proposing bitchi (rice beer) – beef party in Garo hills to mark Modi government’s three year’s in office.

Disheartened to quit BJP, Bachu said, “It was a difficult decision to make but 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. The BJP’s non-secular ideology to impose on us is not acceptable”, he added.

On Monday, he submitted his resigtion letter to state party president Shibun Lyngdoh. “I quit and resign from the party for dishonouring my culture and traditiol practices”, he wrote in his resigtion letter.

He accused the BJP of not accepting the Garo culture, traditions and food habits and writes that unlike kam bitchi (a dry fish recipe), beef is also part of their traditiol food habits.