Tura: Bachu Marak, the North Garo Hills district BJP president, has resigned from the party over the Centre’s notification on sale of cattle meant for slaughter.
Last week, West Garo Hills district BJP president Bernard Marak also quit the party protesting the cattle notification.
“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 Narendra Modi government’s three years in office and had attracted party leadership's criticism, PTI reported.
BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli had warned of stringent action against Bachu. Bernard is organising a beef party at the Eden Bari, Tura, on June 10 and Bachu is also 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.
The Centre’s new notification has imposed a blanket prohibition on the slaughtering of cattle (cows, bulls, buffaloes, camels, heifers) brought from animal markets. Issued on May 23, the notification bans the sale of cattle for culling and also restrains sacrificing the animals for religious purposes.
The notification has engrafted new norms in accordance with the rule-making power of the Central government under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act. The new rules called the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017, therefore tend to put a full stop on the slaughtering of not just the cows but also other animals defined as ‘cattle’ under the Act.
(With inputs from PTI)
