Bengaluru: With the Ayodhya Ram temple donation case being hotly debated across the country, the Karnataka government has taken steps to ensure the safety of important religious centers in the state. The Chief Minister has given strict orders to the officials to install CCTV cameras in important Muzrai temples across the state to prevent such incidents from recurring.
Speaking after a high-level meeting of the Muzrai department, the Chief Minister clarified that the government will give top priority to protecting the religious sentiments of devotees and the safety of temple properties.
Surveillance on important temples:
The government, taking serious note of the recent incidents of untoward incidents and theft targeting religious places, has announced new safety guidelines.
Mandatory CCTV surveillance: State-of-the-art CCTV cameras will be installed at the entrance, sanctum sanctorum premises, donation hundi storage area and prasad distribution centers of all A, B and C category Muzrai temples in the state.
Prasad distribution system review: Citing the Ayodhya incident, the CM has directed that special care be taken to maintain the sanctity and safety of the prasad distributed to devotees in temples. More security personnel will be deployed near the counters.
Safety of donation hundi: It has been ordered to follow a strict process to protect the donations and ornaments offered by devotees in historic temples and to conduct the hundi counting process periodically in front of CCTV cameras.
Investigation and awareness at the departmental level
The CM said that the temple management boards should coordinate with the local police and increase night patrols. He warned that if any security lapse is found in any temple, the concerned departmental officials will be held directly responsible. These rules will come into effect immediately in major religious areas including Kukke Subrahmanya, Chamundeshwari Temple, and Kateel, which are visited by lakhs of devotees.