Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM/TP)
Udupi, Apr 4: Hours after illegal sand miners attacked the deputy commissioner (DC) Priyanka Mary Francis, assistant commissioner (AC) Shilpa Nag and others during a raid at Kandlur near Kundapur, the district BJP on Monday April 3 condemned the incident and demanded the resignation of district in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj.
Addressing a press meet at the party office here, BJP district president Mattar Ratnakar Hegde said, "District in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj has failed to maintain law and order in Udupi district. He should take responsibility for the attack on the DC and other officials during the raid and resign from his post on moral grounds."
Slamming the Congress government, he said, "The Congress state government has failed to formulate a policy for sand mining in Udupi and Mangaluru, and that is the reason sand from this region is being illegally sold to Uttara Kannada, Bengaluru, Kerala and other regions, while people here are being deprived of it. BJP MLAs and MLCs have tried to move this issue in the House."
"Pramod Madhwaraj has said that when raiding the spot, the DC went in her private vehicle without security which led to the attack. However, going in a private vehicle does not take away the status of deputy commissioner from her. Madhwaraj's statement will only encourage the illegal sand miners.
"The minister has failed to curb the illegal activities in the district, which are increasing day by day. If there is no security for the DC herself, how will the government protect the ordinary citizens?" he questioned.
"Things that happen in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are now happening here. The DC raided the spot where illegal mining was going on, and the BJP supports her," he added.
"Congress-support former ZP member Devananda is involved in illegal sand mining in Kundapur taluk. This indicates that the Congress party too is involved in such activities.
"Four DCs have been transferred from Udupi over this issue. Transfer is the punishment for curbing illegal sand mining. Pramod Madhwaraj has done nothing about this. He did not even visit the spot or visit the DC even though almost a whole day has passed. It shows his irresponsibility. Hence he should resign on moral grounds," he demanded.
BJP calls Pramod Madhwaraj 'nalayak'
Staging a protest near the Clock Tower after the press meet, the BJP reiterated the above points and pressed for Madhwaraj's resignation.
"We have a 'nalayak' (unworthy) district in-charge minister. Pramod Madhwaraj is not fit to be minister, he should resign immediately," said former MLA and BJP leader Raghupati Bhat.
"Illegal sand mining started soon after Congress government came to power in the state. In our lease, several miners are loading their lorries and illegally transporting sand to other districts. The district in-charge minister and his party are supporting illegal sand mining.
"If the DC and the AC did not inform officials of the mines and geology and other departments before conducting the raid themselves, it shows they do not trust these officials. All the departments under the Congress are full of corrupt officials," Bhat said.