One of the grand-nephews of the former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Monday quit the BJP protesting against the Central government’s refusal to convert the house where Kalam stayed in New Delhi into a ‘Knowledge Centre’ for students and youth.
A.P.J.M. Haja Syed Ibrahim, who had joined the BJP in July 2012 and was appointed the party’s Tamil Nadu unit minority wing vice-president, announced that he was quitting the party in protest.
However, another grand-nephew of Kalam, A.P.J.M. Sheik Saleem, who had joined the BJP two months ago in the presence of party president Amit Shah in New Delhi, posted on his Facebook that he would continue to remain a “loyal worker” of the BJP.
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Mr. Ibrahim, in a statement, said he had “painstakingly” performed the duties entrusted to him by the BJP. After Kalam died in July this year, his family and “Indian public” had requested the Government of India to convert his Delhi house into a National Knowledge Centre. But the government rejected the request and allotted the house to Union Minister Mahesh Sharma.
“The ruling party in the Centre which I took part in serving the public failed to fulfil the overall demand of the people of India. This act of the BJP government is disheartening to the public,” Mr. Ibrahim said. He announced that on the suggestions from students and youths who had affection towards Kalam, he was constrained to quit the party.
“I have sent in my resignation letter to the State head of the BJP,” he said.
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