MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday to discuss key issues concerning the district’s security and development. The MP emphasized the need to establish a National Investigation Agency (NIA) unit in Mangaluru at the earliest to counter terrorist activities.

The demand for an NIA unit in Mangaluru has been a long-standing issue. MP Chowta prioritized this need immediately after assuming office, citing the presence of extremist sleeper cells in the region linked to groups like SDPI and PFI. Highlighting past challenges, including the communal unrest during CAA protests, Chowta urged that setting up an NIA unit would strengthen coastal security and combat terrorism.

Proposal for Sainik School and Military Base

Chowta also proposed establishing a Sainik School and a military base in Mangaluru to nurture discipline, patriotism, and leadership qualities among students while enhancing national defense infrastructure along the coastal belt. He stated that these initiatives would provide career opportunities for youth and bolster the region’s security.

Though approved in 2020, the Indian Coast Guard Academy in Mangaluru remains stalled due to pending clearances. Chowta requested the Home Minister to expedite the process, emphasizing the academy’s strategic importance in coastal surveillance and disaster management. Its proximity to the Arabian Sea and Mangaluru Port would also benefit critical maritime zones like Lakshadweep and Maldives.

As Mangaluru is known as the cradle of banking, Chowta urged the Home Minister, who also holds the Cooperation Ministry portfolio, to promote cooperative banking to support small entrepreneurs and farmers in the region.

During the meeting, Capt. Brijesh Chowta presented a symbolic gift—a painting of the traditional sport, Kambala—to the Union Minister.