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In videos of the incident, the group can be purportedly be heard shouting Bajrang Dal slogans and slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Hindu Rashtra’. (Special Arrangement)
A group of Bajrang Dal activists stormed a diocese school in Assam’s Nalbari town on Wednesday, Christmas Eve, and destroyed Christmas decorations there. The same group had also destroyed Christmas ornaments being sold in a shop in the town. The incident at Nalbari was the latest in a series of Christmas disruptions reported from different parts of the country, including Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, over the past week.
Nalbari Senior Superintendent of Police, Bibekananda Das, said that they have received a complaint from the authorities of St. Mary’s English School, Panigaon, in connection with the incident.
The same day, in Chhattisgarh, a mob armed with sticks barged into the Magneto Mall in the state capital Raipur and vandalised Christmas decorations and installations
A day-long ‘Chhattisgarh bandh’ had been called on Wednesday by the Sarva Hindu Samaj against the alleged religious conversions. A mall employee says “80-90 people barged in” and went on a rampage.
Police said an FIR has been filed. “No arrest has been made so far. Our probe is on to identify the accused,” Raipur Senior Superintendent of police Lal Umed Singh said.
In Madhya Pradesh, BJP’s Jabalpur district vice-president Anju Bhargava allegedly manhandled a visually impaired woman after she entered the church premises in Katanga area on Saturday, claiming that children were being converted to Christianity.
While police have not filed an FIR in connection with the case, the Jabalpur BJP unit has issued a show-cause notice to Bhargava. Mahanagar president Rakesh Sonkar said she has been given seven days “to explain her conduct”.
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The visually impaired woman told The Indian Express, “Just because I come to celebrate Christmas doesn’t mean I have changed my religion.”
Jabalpur also saw another incident on Sunday morning, when a prayer service at a church in Madhotal was disrupted by members of a right-wing organisation. Members of the Hindu Seva Parishad claimed they had received information about an unusually large gathering, including attendees from other districts. They claimed they were questioning potential religious conversion activities when violence erupted.
But those present at the service said 15 to 20 men forcibly entered the church during prayers, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and creating panic among the congregation. Police said several youths were detained for creating a disturbance, and investigators are working to establish the sequence of events based on testimonies from both sides.
In Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district, the education department barred schools from “forcing” children to dress up as Santa Claus on Christmas. A December 22 order stated, “Bharat Tibet Sahayog Manch has submitted a letter… stating that for the past few years, children are being made (to dress up as) Santa Claus on Christmas day in schools, whereas Sri Ganganagar district is a Sanatana (Hindu and Sikh) dominated area.”
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“Christian families are almost non-existent here. In such a situation, organising such programmes in schools and putting unnecessary pressure on children is not always justified. If information is received about pressure on children to become Santa Claus on Christmas day in any school, then the department will take action as per rules,” it stated.
From Delhi, a video came to light on Monday, purportedly showing a group of women wearing Santa Claus caps being heckled, allegedly by Bajrang Dal members, in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar. The video showed the men accusing the women of religious proselytisation and forcing them to leave.
Police said they had not received a complaint, and that the incident was “a minor and momentary verbal disagreement between individuals”.
“The matter was amicably resolved on the spot by the individuals involved, without any escalation. Preliminary verification indicates that the issue was personal and isolated in nature,” DCP (South East) Hemant Tiwari said.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
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