Bantwal: A steep increase in red stone prices—from ₹40 to a shocking ₹280—has intensified the ongoing sand and construction material crisis in Dakshina Kannada, prompting widespread public anger and protests led by the BJP in B C Road on Monday.
Local MLA Rajesh Naik lashed out at the Congress-led state government, accusing it of inaction and mismanagement. “The government has failed to streamline sand mining regulations or resolve the shortage of red stone. People are now turning to illegal sources,” he said. Naik also stated he would meet top officials in Bengaluru to press for swift intervention and blamed the district’s mining department for lacking capable leadership.
Bantwal BJP president Chennappa Kotiyan slammed the ruling party, saying ordinary citizens are being crushed under policy failures. “Survival has become a struggle under this government,” he remarked.
Former Taluk Panchayat Standing Committee chairperson Madhava Mave echoed these sentiments, alleging that Congress has pushed sand into the black market. “When BJP was in power, materials were accessible to all,” he said.
BJP state spokesperson Vikas Puttur described the situation as a result of “institutionalised corruption,” and urged the government to formulate a dedicated sand policy for the region immediately.
Party leader Sulochana G K Bhat issued a grim caution: “This neglect may push labourers to the brink, just like distressed farmers in the past.”
The protest saw the participation of several senior BJP leaders and grassroots workers from across the constituency.