Cow, cow slaughter, cattle slaughter, beef ban
Men load a cow onto a truck in the Jantar Mantar area of New Delhi (Representational image)Reuters/Cathal McNaughton

Bachu Marak, BJP president of the North Garo Hills district in Meghalaya, resigned from the party on Tuesday over the beef ban issue. His resignation comes four days after Bernard Mark, BJP president of the state's West Garo Hills district, quit the party over the same issue.

"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," Marak said after resigning from the party.

Marak submitted his resignation to Meghalaya BJP president, Shibun Lyngdoh.

Previously, Marak had, on his Faceboook page, proposed to celebrate three years of the Modi government by organising a bitchi (rice beer) and beef party in the Garo Hills.

His proposal, however, invited severe criticism from the party's leadership at the Centre with BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli warning Marak that strict action would be taken against him if the beef party was organised.

Mark, former BJP president of the state's West Garo Hills district, is slated to organise a beef party in Tura's Eden Bari locality on June 10. Marak is also xpected to attend the beef party, PTI reported.

"I will attend the beef party in Tura to register our voice against such moves of the BJP," Marak said.