SHILLONG: Following in the footseps of BJP's West Garo Hills president Bernard Marak, the president of the party's North Garo Hills district, Bachu Marak, has quit the saffron party over the issue of beef ban. "I had no plans to contest the upcoming assemly election. I wanted to make BJP acceptable to the people in the of Garo hills. We were upbeat and working to strengthen its base. But the party leadership has failed to acknowledge our hard work and our sentiments," said Marak after quitting the party."It was a difficult decision but I cannot compromise on the sentiments of the Garos. As a Garo, it is my responsibility to protect the interests of my community. Beef eating is part of our culture and tradition. BJP's non-secular ideology is not acceptable," he said.In his resignation letter submitted to state party president Shibun Lyngdoh, he said, "I quit and resign from the party for dishonouring my culture and traditional practices". He accused BJP of not accepting the Garo culture, tradition and food habits and wrote that like nakam bitchi (a dry fish recipe), beef is also part of their traditional cuisine.National spokesperson of BJP Nalin Kohli, who is also the party in charge of Meghalaya, said, "It was expected and we welcome it since disciplinary action against him was also in process. These persons were actively working to sabotage the prospects of our potential candidates next year. They were aspirants themselves and the party did not see them as winning candidates". "The BJP's single-point agenda for Meghalaya is Prime Minister Narendra Modiji's sabka saath sabka vikas. The party is gearing up to contest the forthcoming Meghalaya state election on this positive agenda of development and exposing the rampant corruption, unfulfilled promises and lack of development under the Congress government of Dr. Mukul Sangma," Kohli said.On the issue of beef ban, Kohli reiterated that the Central Government cannot encroach into the jurisdiction of a state government.On the other hand, the BJP's executive body on Tuesday held an emergency meeting of all executive members of different wings of the party at its office in North Garo Hills. After a threadbare discussion, the leaders decided to close down the party office at Resubelpara and also decided to dissolve all the wings, including mondal units. On the other hand, former BJP leader Bernard Marak, who recently quit the party, has called for a bitchi (rice beer)-beef party in Tura on June 10. Marak had earlier planned to celebrate the Modi government's three years in office by throwing a beef party.

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