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Attacks on Christmas Celebrations in India Spark Outrage, Videos Go Viral

By The South Asia Times

NEW DELHI - Several incidents of attacks on Christmas celebrations and vandalism of festive decorations were reported across India on Christmas Eve, triggering widespread condemnation on social media and raising concerns over the safety of religious minorities.

Videos circulating online from different parts of the country showed members of Hindu nationalist groups allegedly disrupting Christmas events.

In Assam’s Nalbari district, footage from St. Mary’s School in Panigaon appeared to show activists linked to Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) storming the premises, damaging Christmas trees and decorations during celebrations.

In a separate incident in Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, Christmas decorations at Magneto Mall were vandalized by individuals described by witnesses as Hindutva activists associated with far-right organisations RSS, a militants wing of ruling BJP.

The visuals showed broken decorations and damaged festive displays, prompting sharp reactions from Christian groups and civil society activists.

Meanwhile, in Kerala’s Palakkad district, police arrested an RSS worker after a children’s Christmas carol group was allegedly attacked during a house-to-house visit, according to local media reports.

The incidents have intensified debate over what critics describe as growing intolerance toward minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims, in India. Rights activists and opposition figures say such attacks have increased in frequency since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government came to power.

Social media users across the world strongly condemned the attacks, calling for accountability and urging Indian authorities to ensure the protection of religious freedom and minority rights.