The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has asked the government to not remove it from VIP duties, stating that it was the only “soft posting” available to its personnel.

In a letter to the ministry of home affairs, the world’s largest paramilitary force has argued that it had rich experience in providing security to VIPs across India and that about 30% of the people deputed in two specialist VIP security forces — Special Protection Group (SPG) and National Security Guard (NSG) —are CRPF men, Times of India (ToI) reported.

CRPF currently secures around 75 VIPs, including BJP chief Amit Shah, industrialist Mukesh Ambani, former IB chief Dineshwar Sharma and Union minister Nitin Gadkari etc.

The CRPF has asserted that four battalions (over 4,000 men) are dedicated to the VIP security unit and massive infrastructure has been built, including a training centre, over the years for the purpose, which would be “wasted” if removed, ToI quoted sources as saying.

The government had decided last month that the VIP security responsibilities of the CRPF and the Indo-Tibet Border Police would be handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

A CRPF official told ToI, “Our men work in the harshest conditions in LWE areas with no phone connectivity, no electricity and then fighting extremists in J&K. We are not posted in other areas where jawans/officers have a little easier life and are closer to their families, so VIP duty is the only soft posting in such a big force.”