BENGALURU: The Karnataka government expressed its 'strong protest' over the large-scale deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, during the ongoing raid on state energy minister D K Shivakumar and others, here on Thursday.
In a letter written by Karnataka Home Department additional chief secretary Subhash Chandra to Hasmukh Adhia, union financial services secretary, the state questioned the use of CRPF in 'full operational attire' for an operation, 'despite the fact that maintenance of law and order is the responsibility of the Karnataka police'.
The letter said, "...the deployment of the CRPF, which is an armed police force, in full operational attire with weapons for a civilian operation also conveys a wrong impression with regard to the necessity of such a scale of deployment."
Utilising the services of CRPF, "casts an aspersion of adverse credibility, integrity and professionalism of the state police, which has been utilised effectively and without complaint.." by IT Department in the past.
The letter said that the presence of a large number of CRPF personnel would have escalated into a law and order situation. "Therefore, such deployment needs to be in consultation with local police authorities." Established conventions should not be by-passed in such matters where both Governments share responsibilities, the letter added.