Hindu extremist groups in India attack Christmas events

Followers of religions other than Hinduism are not safe in so-called secular India from extremist Hindutva groups allegedly backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party government. Recent incidents across different parts of India, where Hindutva groups targeted Christmas celebrations, clearly show this.

In Chhattisgarh, police said an extremist Hindutva operatives vandalised Christmas decorations and Santa Claus figures at a shopping mall in Raipur, on Saturday.

Videos circulating on social media show around 100 people allegedly entered the mall and carried out the attack while raising slogans that they did not want Santa Claus.

Another incident happened in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly, when members of Hindu organisations recited the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu prayer, outside a Christian church on Saturday night.

The incident occurred in the presence of police officers, who were seen recording the gathering on their mobile phones. There was no immediate attempt by police to disperse the group.

The recent incidents have renewed attention on earlier cases. In July, two Catholic nuns from Kerala, Preti Mary and Vandana Francis were detained by activists of the extremist Bajrang Dal at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh on allegations of religious conversion. They were later handed over to police and arrested.

Protests have also followed other incidents in recent weeks, including the alleged assault of a visually impaired woman in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, over accusations of religious conversion.

A local BJP leader, Anju Bhargava, has been named in connection with the incident. Separately, an extremist Hindu Group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker disrupted a children’s Christmas carol event in Palakkad, Kerala.

Christian churches have condemned the incidents and expressed strong protest. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) said the attacks were shocking and that Christmas celebrations in the country were taking place under the shadow of fear.

The CBCI demanded the expulsion of Anju Bhargava from the BJP and immediate action against organisations involved in such acts of violence.