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Christmas decorations vandalised in Chhattisgarh—What's happening in India?
Christmas decorations vandalised in Chhattisgarh—What's happening in India? Check list of recent attacks
Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore famously said in 1908, “I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live.” In stark contrast, India is witnessing a rise in jingoism in recent years.
Just days after a Bajrang Dal member barred a Christmas mass in the national capital, the youth wing of India's Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) allegedly vandalised Christmas decorations worth lakhs at Raipur's Magneto Mall in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh.
The VHP has released a statement calling on Hindus to refrain from celebrating Christmas in any form, saying the move is intended to promote cultural “awakening” among Hindus. Reports also suggest that shops and other establishments are being encouraged to oppose Christmas celebrations.
Videos going viral on social media show Bajrang Dal members attacking a Santa Claus statue and reindeer decorations outside malls with sticks.
Watch videos here:
India's approximately 32 million Christians, making up around 2.3% of the population, are facing a wave of violence, intimidation, and harassment that has overshadowed the festive season. Meanwhile, data from the 2011 Census shows that the Christian population grew by 15.5 per cent between 2001 and 2011—below the national average growth rate of 17.7 per cent.
Yet, Christians continue to be portrayed as a threat to the Hindu community.
CBCI expresses ‘deep anguish' over attacks targeting Christians
Earlier on Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), the highest body representing the country's Catholic community, issued a strong statement, expressing “deep anguish” over the “alarming rise” in attacks targeting Christians during this sacred period.The bishops pointed out that many of these incidents, often carried out by vigilante groups alleging forced conversions, seriously threaten the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and to worship without fear.
He further urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the chief ministers of various states to ensure strict law enforcement and provide proactive protection to Christian communities across the country.
In a video message released by the CBCI, the Archbishop expressed his “deep pain” over the “alarming rise in attacks on Christians,” noting that such incidents strike at the spirit of India's Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.
He highlighted that the true message of Christmas—reflected in carols and prayers—is one of peace, joy, hope, and harmony.
Recent attacks on Christians
In Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, men reportedly associated with the Bajrang Dal were seen harassing women and children wearing Santa caps on the street, accusing them of attempting to convert people.A video of the incident shows the woman visibly shaken by the confrontation:
Earlier in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, a viral video showed BJP city vice-president Anju Bhargava allegedly physically assaulting and verbally abusing a visually impaired woman during a Christmas charity event.
In Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, a local dispute on December 17–18 escalated into widespread violence, with mobs reportedly torching at least two churches (some reports suggest three), damaging several Christian homes, and clashing with police.
The unrest broke out in villages including Dumali, Kurrutola, and surrounding areas under Ambeda police station, following the burial of 70-year-old Chamraran Salam on private family land. Salam, the father of local sarpanch Rajman Salam, passed away on December 15. Villagers protested, claiming the Christian-style burial violated tribal customs, despite the land being privately owned.
In the last 10 years, the reported incidents of violence against Christians in India jumped from 139 to 834, with the total number of documented incidents affecting almost 5,000 families in the last decade, according to a report by International Christian Concern, a US-based non-profit charity organisation.
Source: LiveMint
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