National secy of BJP ST Morcha Hayithung Bill Lotha quits party
National secy of BJP ST Morcha Hayithung Bill Lotha quits party Image: Northeast Now

The National Secretary, ST Morcha, BJP Central, Hayithung Bill Lotha has resigned from his post in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 on Wednesday.

Lotha in a press release said, โ€˜Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not seem to care for Northeast (NE) โ€“ inflicting great torture and pain on the indigenous people of Assam and north-eastern states, threatening their very existence, identity, language, culture and heritage.โ€™

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

While extending his support to NESO in opposing the Bill, he stated that the โ€˜flood-gates from Bangladesh will be opened and Tripura experience will be replicated in the entire northeast โ€“ ultimately finishing off all the ancient indigenous peoples of NE and making them into an insignificant miniscule minorityโ€™ if the Bill is passed.

He also appreciated various studentsโ€™ unions and social organizations of the region for vigorously โ€˜protesting for the future and betterment of our NE indigenous peoples.โ€™

Recounting the time he joined the ABVP (studentsโ€™ wing of BJP) in 2003 as a young law student in Delhi University, he said that he was grateful for the tasks being entrusted to him in various capacities by the party during his 15 yearsโ€™ association. However, he said that he was โ€œfinding it difficult to understand the current functioning of BJP and the governance provided by Narendra Modi.โ€

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

โ€œI can no more say that, I have the same emotional and sentimental attachment to the party,โ€ he said, adding that โ€œthe minorities, scheduled tribes, dalits and backward caste leaders have extremely little or no voice in decision making and party strategies/policy planning.โ€

Even as he spewed venom at the party, he said he has โ€œmade some of the best friends of my life in BJP, and I thank all of them, for the many years of being able to work together hand-in-hand to build up this great nation India.โ€

โ€œFinally, I henceforth resign from BJP,โ€ he concluded.