Fr Innocent Panmei sdb
Don Bosco Kohima
The sociological and theological significance of Christmas in the Indian subcontinent has undergone a radical transformation in the early twenty-first century, shifting from a season of communal celebration and pluralistic exchange to one increasingly defined by anxiety, surveillance, and localized violence. While the liturgical and commercial calendars of the nation’s 28 million Christians signal a time of "tidings of comfort and joy," the lived reality for many communities is marked by a pervasive sense of dread and physical insecurity. In 2025, this evolution reached a breaking point, characterized by coordinated attempts to disrupt festivities, ranging from the vandalism of commercial decorations to the physical assault of carol singers.
To understand the current crisis, one must examine the quantitative trajectory of anti-Christian hostility. Data compiled by the United Christian Forum (UCF) reveals a sharp upward trend, with 834 reported incidents in 2024—a significant jump from just 147 in 2014. This translates to more than two Christians being targeted every single day simply for practicing their faith. By November 2025, the UCF had already documented 706 incidents, indicating that the year would likely meet or exceed previous records of violence. While hostility is distributed throughout the year, the Christmas season acts as a catalyst for fundamentalist mobilization, frequently preceded by "hate-filled digital posters" and inflammatory speeches that characterize Christmas as a threat to "cultural awareness".
The Christmas season of 2025 has been described as a "rare Christmas gift" that Christians never bargained for—a euphemism for the widespread arson and harassment reported across several states. On Christmas Eve, a mob of nearly 90 individuals, reportedly affiliated with the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, stormed the Magneto Mall in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Armed with rods and hockey sticks, they vandalized Christmas trees and installations while interrogating shoppers about their religion and caste. This incident occurred during a state-wide shutdown specifically called to protest Christian activities. Similarly, in Nalbari, Assam, activists targeted St. Mary’s English School, burning the nativity scene and destroying campus decorations to send a "clear message" that Christian educational institutions are not safe.
The tradition of carolling has also become a high-risk activity. In Palakkad, Kerala—a state historically known for communal harmony—an RSS worker was arrested for assaulting a group of children under the age of 15 who were singing carols. The attacker destroyed their musical instruments and physically abused the minors, prompting state-wide protests and the organization of "protest carols" by youth groups. In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, groups gathered outside a cathedral on Christmas Eve to recite the Hanuman Chalisa and shout religious slogans, alleging that prayers were a cover for mass conversions. This "ritualized intimidation" serves to criminalize traditional festive practices, recasting children’s carols and festive prayers as provocations.
This surge in violence cannot be decoupled from the legislative environment. Currently, twelve Indian states have enacted "Freedom of Religion" acts, colloquially known as anti-conversion laws. While framed as protections against coercion, in practice, they are often weaponized by vigilante groups to stifle religious freedom. In Uttar Pradesh alone, more than 350 FIRs have been registered since 2020, resulting in the arrest of over 1,000 individuals, many of whom were pastors conducting Sunday mass or community Christmas lunches. The legal environment allows "third-party" complaints, effectively licensing fundamentalist groups to monitor and disrupt any Christian gathering.
The hostility even extends to the deceased. In Chhattisgarh, the denial of burial rights has become a dehumanizing tool of fundamentalism. In 2025, the UCF documented 23 burial-related incidents, where families were forced to exhume their dead or had bodies exhumed and burned by mobs when the family refused to renounce their faith. This "post-mortem persecution" suggests that fundamentalist hostility seeks to control not just the lives of the minority, but their final rites as well.
A profound dissonance exists between the public gestures of India’s top leadership and the ground reality. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Christmas celebrations and extolled the virtues of Jesus Christ, Christian leaders have noted that such gestures "ring hollow" when the government fails to condemn domestic hate crimes or take decisive action against perpetrators, “not a word of condemnation against those cowardice acts”. International repercussions have followed, with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recommending that India be designated as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) due to systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.
The transformation of Christmas into a season of "fear and unease" represents a significant challenge to the secular fabric of India. What was once a vibrant expression of the nation's mosaic of religious diversity has been marred by an ideology that views pluralism as a threat. The restoration of communal harmony requires more than political outreach; it necessitates the active protection of minority rights and a robust judicial response to vigilante violence. As the Christian community continues to live with faith in constitutional values, the responsibility falls on the state to ensure that the "joyous Christmas" promised in political speeches becomes a lived reality for every citizen.
