New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Meerut, Arun Govil, on Thursday, December 4, urged the Union Government to mandate CCTV cameras in mosques and madrasas, arguing that security standards should be uniform across all major public and religious spaces.
Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Govil framed the call as a "national security concern" rather than a religious issue.
Here's what he said:
Govil said CCTV systems were already common in temples, churches, gurdwaras, schools, colleges, hospitals, markets and most other public places in India. He told the Parliament that cameras had “proved extremely helpful for security, transparency and crime prevention”. He added that this level of surveillance had not been extended to mosques and madrasas, despite their significance as public and community spaces.
Govil said, “However, this system has still not been implemented in mosques and madrasas even though these too are large public and community spaces where ensuring security is equally necessary.” He argued that the proposal was “not against any religion” and that “security is the equal right of every citizen”.
Govil further referenced security practices abroad, adding that CCTVs were installed in Mecca and in madrasas in Saudi Arabia due to security concerns. He questioned why similar standards could not be adopted in India.
Push for a 'National Security Policy'
Calling for a uniform national security policy, Govil said such a framework should mandate CCTV installation at all religious institutions to protect citizens. “Security is neither religious nor discriminatory. Security is always in the interest of the nation and human beings,” he added.
Govil, who became a household name in the 1980s for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the television series Ramayana, entered Parliament for the first time in 2024 after winning the Meerut seat by a narrow margin of just over 10,000 votes.
