Attacks and disruptions linked to Hindutva right-wing groups allegedly, including the Bajrang Dal, were reported from multiple states during the Christmas season, triggering political outrage and renewed concerns over religious freedom and minority safety. Assam, tensions flared in the West Karbi Anglong and Nalbari districts after Bajrang Dal members were accused of vandalising a Christian missionary school in Panigaon.
The incident took place at St Mary’s English School, which had been decorated for Christmas on Thursday. According to allegations, a group identifying itself as Bajrang Dal members entered the school premises, raised slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hindu Rashtra”, dismantled Christmas decorations and set them on fire.
Assam Sees Violence During Celebration
A nearby shop selling Christmas items was also allegedly vandalised, with goods thrown onto the road and burnt. Sources said the school was closed due to winter vacation and no students were present at the time. The attackers reportedly searched for the school principal and, failing to find him, carried out the vandalism.
Police said an FIR has been registered based on a complaint and an investigation is underway. Security has been tightened in the area.
Similar Incidents Continued In Other States
Similar incidents were reported from other parts of the country. In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, Bajrang Dal members allegedly protested outside a church, accusing it of organising Christmas celebrations. In Bidisha, Madhya Pradesh, members of the outfit were accused of disrupting a Christmas party at a hotel. Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh also witnessed allegations of obstruction of Christmas celebrations.
Earlier this week in Delhi, protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal outside the Bangladesh High Commission over the killing of Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh turned violent, with protesters attempting to breach police barricades and clashing with security personnel.
Shashi Tharoor Condemns Attack
Reacting to the incidents, Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor condemned reports of attacks on members of the Christian community during Christmas. Speaking to the media while extending Christmas greetings in his constituency, Tharoor said any such incident amounted to an assault on the values of the entire nation.
“When people of a community are assaulted, every Indian is assaulted,” Tharoor told news agency PTI, emphasising the need for unity and mutual respect in a diverse society. He added that respect for the cultural and religious traditions of all communities has always been at the core of Kerala’s political and social ethos.
CBCI Condemns Christmas Attacks
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) also strongly condemned what it described as an “alarming” rise in attacks against Christians during the festive season. In a statement issued on December 23, the bishops’ body said such incidents gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion. The CBCI expressed particular shock over a video from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, showing a visually impaired woman attending a Christmas programme being publicly abused and physically harassed.
It urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure strict enforcement of the law and proactive protection for Christian communities. Reports of harassment and attacks also emerged from Kerala, where groups of carol-singing children were allegedly assaulted, and from Madhya Pradesh and other states, where prayer meetings and Christmas gatherings were disrupted. In some areas, schools reportedly cancelled Christmas celebrations following alleged pressure from Sangh Parivar-linked groups.
Minority Safety Under Spotlight
With Christmas festivities underway, Christian organisations said the spate of incidents across states has cast a shadow over celebrations, raising fresh concerns over communal harmony and the safety of minority communities.
Reacting to the incidents, Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor condemned reports of attacks on members of the Christian community during Christmas. Speaking to the media while extending Christmas greetings in his constituency, Tharoor said any such incident amounted to an assault on the values of the entire nation. “When people of a community are assaulted, every Indian is assaulted,”
