After Khargone violence, Muslim cleric asks mosques in MP to install CCTV cameras

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CCTV cameras would be installed in mosques in Madhya Pradesh after a stone thrown at a Ram Navami procession sparked off violence and communal tension in Khargone town recently, a Muslim religious leader said here on Thursday.

It would make it easier to find out the culprits in such cases, he said.

"We have already started installing CCTV cameras (at mosques) in Bhopal. I have requested clerics to do the same across the entire MP. CCTV cameras will nail stone-throwers," said Syed Mushtaque Ali Nadwi, the Bhopal 'Shahar Qazi', speaking to PTI.

A stone thrown at a Ram Navami procession during which loud music was being played by a DJ system near a mosque in Khargone led to arson and communal tension on Sunday. Curfew was imposed in the town after that.

CCTV footage will show from where stones were thrown during such incidents, Nadwi said.

He also said that the demolition of 'illegal structures' of those allegedly involved in violence in Khargone was totally wrong.

"Society is run by law. A person who commits a crime should be punished, not his family. Why are houses being demolished if one member of a family commits some mistake," the cleric said, adding that many families have been rendered homeless due to this drive.

"Festivals of all faiths are being celebrated in India for centuries. When Bhopal was ruled by Muslims, Hindu brothers used to take out processions on their festivals. Never ever a Muslim threw a stone at a Hindu procession in 300 years," he said.

Why would any Muslim throw stones now, he asked.