Have requested Amit Shah for two more IRB units in Karnataka: G Parameshwara

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said he has requested the Centre for two more units of India Reserve Battalion in Karnataka.

He also underlined that Bengaluru needs some more India Reserve Battalion (IRB) units.

"Last month when I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah I requested him for two more battalions. Bengaluru requires more reserved battalions. We need one in Karwar because there is a Naval base," Parameshwara said during the calling attention motion raised by BJP MLA Arvind Bellad in the Assembly.

Bellad said the Home Ministry had sanctioned two IRB units in Belur in Dharwad district and Bangarpet in Kolar district.

However, the unit at Belur has been shifted to Devananahalli near Bengaluru, he said.

"Two units of the BRF were sanctioned – one was in North Karnataka in Belur at the border of Dharwad and Belagavi and second in Kolar," Bellad explained.

He said whenever the Legislature session takes place in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, more troops are required to deal with agitations.

Along with that it will help in tackling the border issues, he said adding that the IRB unit was decided at Belur since it is a communally sensitive area.

"One unit was for the North Karnataka and another for South Karnataka. Now, both the units will be coming up in South Karnataka – one at Devanahalli and another in Kolar," he pointed out.

Parameshwara dismissed the charge saying that no one should raise the 'North Karnataka and South Karnataka issue.'

"Uttara Karnataka is not a separate state. There are already six reserved battalions in North Karnataka. In Dharwad, there is 10th Battalion of Reserved Force. We will upgrade the 10th battalion. Since two battalions cannot be put in one place, we have shifted it to Bengaluru," he explained.