This year’s Christmas saw a wave of violence against Christians. Several reports show attacks, vandalism and intimidation of the members of the Christian community.
In Haryana’s Rohtak, a Hindutva group obstructed an event held by Christians on December 25 and recited ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ after taking over the stage and forced the Christians to leave the event. One video shows members raising ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans.
On the same day, several incidents were reported from different parts of the country. Several Hindus gathered to raise slogans like ‘Hare Krishna Hare Ram’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, near Hazratganj Cathedral, where Christians gathered for celebrations.
In another shocking incident, a Zomato delivery executive, in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, dressed as Santa Claus was stopped by workers of ‘Hindu Jagran Manch’ and was asked to remove the attire. Upon knowing that the delivery agent is a Hindu, the right member can be heard saying “You are a Hindu, what message are you giving to everyone by wearing this attire?”
“Why don’t you wear Lord Ram’s dress or saffron clothes while delivering other orders during our Hindu festivals,” he adds. The right-wing members eventually force him to remove the attire.
A right-wing leader harassed Christian women in Odisha accusing them of their involvement in forced religious conversions. A video that he made shows him forcing them to chant Jai Shri Ram. Other men in vehicles join him and start harassing the women.
In another incident, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad raided South International School in Bapunagar and forced the school authorities to remove the Christmas decorations and stop all celebrations.
Three Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists in Kerala attacked Christmas celebrations organised at a government school in Palakkad. Several social media users condemned the attack on Christians and noted that the violence occurred on the same day Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a Christmas party with Christian leaders in India’s capital.
Some Hindutva leaders in Mumbai’s Kashimira stopped Christmas celebrations and made children recite Hanuman Chalisa and forced them to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ urging the kids to be staunch followers of the Hindu religion.
Earlier on December 22, members of the right-wing barged into a Christmas carnival at ‘MSS World School’ in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur vandalised Christmas decorations and burned posters at the event.
After vandalising, attackers played songs praising Ram. One of the members, Chetan Goyal made a video in which he said that these events are organised to eventually convert children to Christianity.
