Reports of Christmas attacks on Christians have triggered a wider constitutional debate, with church bodies and political leaders urging firm action to protect religious freedom and minority rights.
Concerns over religious freedom and minority safety have continued to reverberate across India following a series of reported attacks and disruptions targeting Christian communities during the Christmas season, prompting strong statements from church bodies and renewed political intervention even after the festivities have ended.
The Diocese of Mangalore has issued a firm condemnation of the incidents, describing them as deeply troubling and incompatible with India’s constitutional values. The diocese said reports from multiple states pointed to a pattern of intimidation, obstruction and violence directed at Christians during a festival traditionally associated with peace and goodwill.
Roy Castelino, the diocese’s public relations officer, said the incidents were highly condemnable and called on governments at both the state and Union levels to take immediate and appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of Christians. He said the reported attacks caused deep pain to a community that continued to place its faith in constitutional guarantees.
Incidents reported across multiple states
The diocese pointed to incidents in Kerala, New Delhi and Karnataka among others. In Palakkad, Kerala, members of a Christmas carol group were reportedly attacked by extremist elements. In the national capital, Christian women and children wearing Santa Claus caps were allegedly harassed by activists of a Hindu organisation and accused of proselytisation. In Bengaluru, individuals linked to a right-wing group were accused of disrupting a church programme and issuing threats to a priest, actions the diocese said ran contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.
The Mangalore diocese also highlighted what it described as a troubling contradiction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in Christmas prayers at a Delhi church and the reported attempts by extremist groups to disrupt celebrations in several states. According to the diocese, the incidents were not isolated acts against a single religious group but represented a broader assault on constitutional values, warning that threats to freedom of worship strike at the foundations of democracy.
Udupi diocese calls for clear government action
Similar concerns were echoed by the Catholic Diocese of Udupi, which expressed profound dismay at what it called a surge in attacks on Christians during the festive period. The diocese said the incidents amounted to a blatant violation of religious freedom and undermined the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution.
Fr Denis D’Sa, public relations officer of the Udupi diocese, said the Union government must issue clear and unambiguous directions to all states to ensure adequate security for Christian institutions and communities. He stressed that decisive action was required to protect religious freedom and maintain public confidence in constitutional safeguards.
Political leaders weigh in
Political voices have also continued to weigh in on the issue. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor warned that attacks on Christian traditions were, in effect, attacks on every Indian. Speaking about the Palakkad incident, he said solidarity with Christians was essential at a time when freedom of belief and worship was under strain. Tharoor argued that when traditions were targeted, the constitutional promise of pluralism itself was being undermined.
Tharoor also reflected on Kerala’s political culture, saying respect for the religious and cultural traditions of all communities had long been central to public life in the state. He described his annual visits to churches on Christmas Eve as a personal expression of that ethos, underscoring the importance of communal harmony beyond political divisions.
Letter to Prime Minister
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal has taken the matter further by writing to Prime Minister Modi, alleging that Christmas celebrations this year were marked by an atmosphere of fear and violence in several BJP-ruled states. Venugopal said he was profoundly disturbed by what he described as a pattern of intimidation aimed at humiliating minorities.
In his letter, Venugopal cited incidents from Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, alleging disruptions of prayers, vandalism of churches and decorations, and harassment of worshippers, including women and children. He argued that these acts were not spontaneous but reflected an organised spread of hate, warning that silence from those in authority risked emboldening extremist elements.
Venugopal also referred to the attack on a children-led carol procession in Palakkad, saying such incidents scarred the very idea of India. With New Year celebrations approaching, he urged the Centre to take preventive measures to ensure public safety and protect citizens’ right to practise their faith without fear.
Arrests in Assam
The issue gained further attention after reports from Assam’s Nalbari district, where Christmas decorations at a school were vandalised ahead of celebrations. Assam Police later arrested four individuals linked to right-wing groups in connection with the incident, providing one of the few examples of swift legal action cited by church leaders.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi attended a Christmas morning service at Delhi’s Cathedral Church of the Redemption, where prayers were offered for peace, harmony and compassion. In a social media post, the Prime Minister said the message of Christmas inspired goodwill and unity in society.
