HASSAN: JD(S) MLA H D Revanna urged the state government not to shift the 11th Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) Battalion from Hassan district to Harapanahalli in Davangere.
He told reporters on Monday that the then state government led by HD Kumaraswamy had sanctioned the KSRP battalion for Hassan but the BJP government was planning to shift it to Davangere, citing land dispute over construction of a KSRP office.
He said that the state government should take immediate steps to acquire land near Hagare or Chikkahonnenahalli, on the outskirts of Hassan city through negotiations with the farmers. JD(S) will take the issue to the streets if the government fails to set up the battalion, he warned.
Revanna said that 11th KSRP battalion commander Nazeer Ahmed had written to the government urging it to shift the battalion to Harapanahalli on the pretext that land was available. I will discuss the matter with the Home Department and urge the minister not to shift the battalion, he added. The KSRP battalion has been functioning in a rented building in Hassan.
It may be recalled that the rift between the land owners and the local legislator had stalled the project eight months ago. While the district authority was keen to hand over the land near Hagare by taking the farmers into confidence, local MLA H S Prakash insisted that the KSRP office be set up near Chikkahonneahalli.