Shillong, April 20: The planned visit of BJP president Amit Shah to Meghalaya has hit another hurdle with a civil society group today appealing to religious leaders and regional political parties to "boycott" the ruling party's top leader.

The appeal from the civil society group came a day after the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) announced a 12-hour shutdown in the entire Khasi-Jaintia hills from 5am on Wednesday when Shah makes his maiden visit to the state.

The group, known as Thma U Rangli Juki, led by Angela Rangad, has also invited people to join a public forum to be held on that day near the Meghalaya Board of School Education's office at Lachaumiere here to discuss "attack on democratic and secular ideals by the Hindu Right".

Listing 13 points of contention against the ruling BJP, Rangad appealed to all religious leaders, civil society groups and regional political parties to "boycott" Shah's visit.

Shah is scheduled to meet leaders from church organisations, regional parties and civil society groups on Wednesday during his daylong stay here.

Rangad, in a statement, blamed the BJP president and his party for the "anti-tribal, anti-farmer land-grabbing law" while holding that the ruling party responsible for "attacking" people's freedom of culture, religion and faith through beef ban, vandalising churches and mosques and their ghar wapsi campaign.

She alleged that the BJP was "pushing" for uranium mining against people's wishes. She also said that the BJP was allowing corporates and multinational pharmaceutical companies to profit by decontrolling the prices of essential medicines.

She justified her appeal for "boycott" by alleging that the BJP government had reduced budget allocation for the Northeast and blamed the ruling party for "continuing and enhancing extensive militarisation and severe human rights abuse" in the region because of laws like Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Rangad said the BJP is responsible for attacks on minorities and their places of worship and "officially condoning Hinduisation" of state institutions and alleged that there is a proposal to make school curricula non-secular.

She also blamed the BJP for "weakening" of laws like the right to information and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and weakening protection for workers by bringing in labour reforms to benefit the corporate world.

According to Rangad, the "make in India" campaign was nothing but a method to institutionalise "slave labour."

She held the BJP responsible for the continuous "demeaning" of women and sexual minorities and attacking their rights through "vulgar pronouncements" regarding sexual violence.

The BJP is responsible for "censorship and gagging" of people's freedom of expression, she said.

Speaking to this correspondent, leader of the Opposition Donkupar Roy, who is also the president of the United Democratic Party (UDP), said his party would meet Shah on Wednesday to discuss on issues confronting the state.

"We have been invited to meet the BJP national president and we will chalk out the issues we will be discussing with him (Shah). But most of the issues will be those confronting Meghalaya," Roy said.

Meghalaya BJP president Khlur Sing Lyngdoh, in a statement, said the party is all set to receive Shah in a grand way.

However, he said it was unfortunate that a shutdown had been called on Wednesday.

"We feel it is very unfortunate that a shutdown has been called on the scheduled date since Shah will be addressing important meetings with party workers of the state. He is also scheduled to meet NGOs and non-Congress politicians," Lyngdoh said.

While strongly condemning the atrocities against Christian communities, he said that the Centre has not taken these incidents lightly and has set up different inquiries to look into the issues.

"It is completely misleading to blame the party regarding the ban on cow slaughter. This issue is a state subject. The party feels that since beef-eating is one of the food habits of majority of people in Meghalaya, it should not be stopped," Lyngdoh said.