Representative image (PTI photo)
NEW DELHI: AAP leader and former MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday raised concerns over incidents of “violence and intimidation” targeting people celebrating Christmas across the country. He even said that “Santa Claus reached police station to register FIR against Right Wing goons.”In a post on X, the former AAP MLA wrote, “They are actually hurt by violence & intimidation against those celebrating Christmas in India. Police was waiting for a complaint to take any action. So complaint has been filed. Now let’s wait for action !!” Reports of vandalism and alleged targeted attacks during Christmas celebrations in several states triggered sharp political reactions. Opposition parties criticised the BJP, while the ruling party maintained that law and order were being enforced.Disruptions were reported from Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Odisha, where Christian communities alleged vandalism, intimidation and harassment during Christmas events. While authorities said they had the situation under control, opposition leaders described the pattern as deeply troubling. In Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, a BJP official allegedly assaulted a visually impaired Christian woman during a children’s feast, and mobs interrupted church services. In Palakkad, Kerala, an RSS worker reportedly attacked carol-singing children and damaged their instruments, while right-wing pressure forced several schools to cancel festivities.Chhattisgarh saw vandalism and arson targeting Christian properties in Raipur and Kanker. In Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, groups protested outside a cathedral. In Delhi and Odisha, street vendors selling Christmas items reported harassment by vigilantes claiming the products were “non-Hindu”.The incidents drew condemnation from multiple opposition leaders.Trinamool Congress’s Kunal Ghosh accused right-wing groups of targeting minorities. He told reporters, “BJP’s associates, such as Bajrang Dal and others, are targeting other religions, which is not what our culture teaches. What the Constitution says, the BJP does exactly the opposite. What they have done is wrong, and we condemn it.”Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said Christmas 2025 had been overshadowed by “fear and anxiety” in many regions. Referring to incidents in Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, he called the attacks on carol groups and religious symbols an assault on India’s pluralistic fabric.
