A series of attacks and threats against Christians and people celebrating Christmas in different parts of the country has triggered sharp reactions from Opposition parties, who have accused the BJP of spreading hatred and misleading minorities under the Narendra Modi government.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the incidents exposed what he called the BJP’s deep hostility towards Christians. In a post on X, he said, “This is the true face of the BJP’s rabid hatred towards Christianity. Their leaders will go to any lengths to insult minorities in India, even if that means attacking a blind lady.”
Venugopal referred to several incidents reported from BJP-ruled states such as Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. He also mentioned an attack on a children’s carol group in Kerala’s Palakkad, allegedly by RSS workers. “The BJP is proving day after day that it is nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” he said.
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Venugopal added, “PM Modi has been putting up a great farce for years, pretending to show newfound love for Christians, but his party and the Sangh Parivar reveal their true character every single time. Venom and hatred are the BJP’s gift during Christmas. It is a warning to all minorities that the BJP’s hate-filled agenda cannot tolerate India’s pluralism.”
The remarks come at a time when Kerala, where Christians form around 18.4 per cent of the population, is heading towards Assembly elections next year. The BJP has recently made political gains in the state, including winning a Lok Sabha seat and control of the Thiruvananthapuram municipal corporation.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur, several Hindutva groups reportedly entered churches and other institutions while Christmas prayers and charity events were underway. Videos from the area show BJP district vice-president Anju Bhargava confronting people attending a Christmas meal. One video, which has gone viral, shows her aggressively holding the face of a visually impaired woman.
In Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, local villagers have reportedly barred Christian priests from entering several villages. This followed an attack on a church and incidents of arson after a Christian man buried his father according to Christian rites.
In Odisha, television channels aired videos showing men forcing hawkers to remove Santa caps, claiming such items were not allowed in a “Hindu Rashtra”. Similar scenes were reported from Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar market, where a video showed men threatening women and children wearing Santa caps.
AAP’s Delhi president Saurabh Bhardwaj shared the Lajpat Nagar video and criticised what he described as hypocrisy. “I know thousands of such uncles who are spreading hate in India in the name of religion, abusing Christmas and Santa Claus here. But their kids are celebrating Christmas with gusto in America, Australia and Europe,” he said.
Another video circulating online shows Satyanisht Arya, formerly known as Sunnyur Rahman, heckling a pastor in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Rahman, a former Bangladeshi atheist who later converted to Hinduism, is known for making provocative statements against other religions.
The Trinamool Congress also condemned the incidents, sharing a montage of attacks alongside images of Christmas celebrations in Kolkata. The party said, “In BJP-ruled states, celebrating Christmas has become a crime. Women are abused and humiliated simply for wearing Santa caps. Vigilante groups roam free, hate is rewarded, and the silence of those in power is deafening.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) expressed concern over the incidents, saying they threatened constitutional rights. “These targeted incidents, especially against peaceful carol singers and congregations gathered in churches to pray, gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and the right to live and worship without fear,” the CBCI said.
Reacting to the Jabalpur incident, the bishops said, “In light of such egregious and dehumanising conduct, the CBCI demands the immediate dismissal of Anju Bhargava from the Bharatiya Janata Party.” The group also raised alarm over reports of hate-filled posters in Chhattisgarh calling for a bandh against Christians on December 24, warning that such calls could fuel more violence.
The CBCI appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to act. “We earnestly request the Hon’ble Union Home Minister to ensure strict enforcement of law and proactive protection for Christian communities so that the joyful festival of Christmas may be celebrated peacefully,” the statement said.
In another incident, a hotel in Haridwar owned by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Corporation reportedly cancelled Christmas bookings after receiving threats from the Shri Ganga Sabha, a local Hindu organisation.
