Across India, the peaceful pre-celebration of Christmas has been met with increasing opposition, as right-wing groups actively target the festive season with allegations of religious conversion and cultural invasion. In Palakkad, Kerala, the celebration of Christmas at a government school was disrupted by activists from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, who stormed the premises, verbally abusing the staff and accusing them of promoting one religion over others. The situation escalated, with the activists questioning the Christmas carols and festive attire, leading to their arrest by the police.
Similarly, in Ludhiana, Punjab, local political leader Sonu Singh Rajput confronted a Christian pastor conducting prayers in a private home, accusing him of religious conversion. This attack, under the guise of “protecting traditions,” highlights a troubling trend of using the holiday season to harass religious minorities.
In Rajasthan, protests have erupted in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, where VHP leaders and Bajrang Dal activists have targeted schools for celebrating Christmas. They accuse the institutions of promoting religious conversions, with protests escalating to the destruction of event posters and public displays of hostility. Meanwhile, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, a controversy has unfolded over dressing the idol of Lord Laddu Gopal in a Christmas outfit, with right-wing groups condemning it as an attack on Hindu traditions.
These incidents reflect a growing wave of religious intolerance, where Christmas celebrations are increasingly seen not as a cultural or religious event, but as a battleground for wider political and communal struggles.
Palakkad, Kerala: two VHP leader arrested
On December 22, 2024, in Palakkad, Kerala, the peaceful celebration of Christmas at a government school was marred by the actions of three local activists from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. A group of activists, led by Vadakkumthara K Anilkumar, Manamkuzhi Sushasanan, and Thekkumuri Velayudhan, stormed the Government Upper Primary School in Nallepilly. They verbally abused the headmistress and teachers, questioning the celebration of Christmas while insisting that other religious festivals like Sri Krishna Jayanthi should also be given equal importance.
According to Indian Express, VHP leaders accused the school of promoting one religion over others and disrupted the Christmas carols, questioning why the children and teachers were dressed in Christmas attire. The situation escalated as the trio intimidated the staff and students with aggressive language, creating a tense and hostile atmosphere. The police quickly intervened, and the three activists were arrested, charged with disrupting public duties and making threats. The accused VHP leaders were booked under BNS sections 329 (3), 296 (b) and 351 (2) and 132, said police. The school’s PTA president K Muraleedharan said such an incident should not have happened at a school in Kerala.
The state BJP leadership, while attempting to court the Christian vote ahead of elections, remained conspicuously silent about the incident, leaving many to question their stance on religious tolerance.
Ludhiana, Punjab: political leader harasses Christian pastor
In Punjab’s Ludhiana, Christmas celebrations also faced opposition, not from religious extremists but from political figures. On December 20, 2024, Sonu Singh Rajput, a local Congress leader, confronted a Christian pastor who was conducting prayers at a family’s home. Rajput accused the pastor of attempting religious conversion and insisted that such prayers would not be permitted in the area.
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This confrontation highlights a worrying trend where the festive season is being used as an opportunity to attack religious minorities under the guise of ‘protecting’ traditions. While the harassment of a pastor praying in a private home may seem trivial to some, it represents a broader issue of how the public space is increasingly becoming unsafe for people to freely practice their religion, even in the privacy of their homes. Rajput’s actions reveal an atmosphere of fear and suspicion surrounding minority religious practices in regions where political leaders fuel communal discord for personal gain.
Jaisalmer, Rajasthan: opposition to Christmas celebrations in Schools
On December 23, 2024, a delegation of VHP functionaries met with the Jaisalmer district collector, registering their protest against what they deemed “conversion attempts and religious disrespect” by missionary schools. The delegation expressed concern over schools organizing Christmas programs and dressing students as Santa Claus, arguing that such practices promoted religious conversion.
Lalu Singh Sodha, the VHP’s district secretary, accused the schools of indoctrinating students with Christian ideologies and using the festive occasion to push religious conversions. The VHP’s opposition to Christmas festivities is not just about the religious aspect but also the cultural significance it holds in schools across India. He said that “Despite the schools here having 98% Hindu students, festivals such as Ram Navami, Krishna Janmashtami, Diwali, Holi and Raksha Bandhan are not observed,” as Times of India reported.
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh: anger over Laddu Gopal’s Christmas outfit
In the holy city of Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, right-wing leaders have raised a storm over a seemingly harmless act: dressing the idol of Lord Laddu Gopal in a Christmas outfit. Kanhaiya Agarwal, the president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad in Mathura, has publicly condemned the practice, calling it an attack on Hindu traditions. According to Agarwal, dressing Lord Krishna’s idol in Christmas attire was an attempt at religious conversion and an insult to Sanatan Dharma.
Mathura-Vrindavan is a sacred site for millions of Hindus who visit to worship Lord Krishna and Radha Rani. The dressing of the Laddu Gopal idol in Santa Claus outfits, some argue, symbolizes a broader attempt by missionary groups to merge Hindu and Christian symbols, which they see as undermining the purity of their traditions. While others see this as a harmless cultural exchange, it has ignited deep anger and division among the locals.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have called for an immediate halt to the sale of such outfits and warned that their activists would take action to prevent the further “desecration” of Hindu deities.
Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Bajrang Dal protest against Christmas celebration in School
In Jodhpur, Rajasthan, a Bajrang Dal protest on December 23, 2024, turned into an act of aggression against a Christmas program in a private school. Protesters tore down and burned posters advertising the event, citing concerns over religious conversions being promoted under the guise of Christmas celebrations. The Bajrang Dal activists gathered outside the Siwanchi Gate school, demanding an end to what they called the “conversion agenda” of Christian schools.
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The incident reflects an increasing suspicion among certain groups towards the Christian community’s motives during the holiday season. The burning of posters, the disruption of school events, and the fear of conversion are all tactics being used to enforce a strict divide between religious communities.
However, the increasing wave of opposition to Christmas celebrations across India is a deeply concerning development that threatens the communal harmony and mutual understanding that have long defined the country’s diverse cultural fabric. From Kerala to Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, right-wing groups have targeted the festive season, disrupting school events, harassing religious figures, and spreading unfounded accusations of religious conversion.
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