Rewritten report: Christmas in India amid rising anti-Christian violence in 2025

As India's Christian community marked Christmas with prayers and carols, the festive season was overshadowed by a disturbing surge in targeted attacks, vandalism, and intimidation against churches, worshippers, and celebrations — predominantly in states governed by the BJP and linked to RSS-affiliated Hindutva groups like Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Echoing widespread outrage, opposition leaders documented the violence as a systematic assault on religious minorities. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the occurrences an assault on all of us and warned that Christmas 2025 is being celebrated amid fear and anxiety for Christians.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) condemned the alarming rise in attacks, stating they undermine constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.

Key occurrences reported in the lead-up to and during Christmas include:

• Chhattisgarh: In Raipur's Magneto Mall, a mob of 80-90 Bajrang Dal activists vandalised Christmas decorations, smashing Santa Claus figures and installations while raising hate slogans. In Kanker district, a Christian Adivasi's home was set on fire amid burial disputes, with churches vandalised and torched in related violence.
• Assam: In Nalbari district, Bajrang Dal and VHP members stormed St. Mary’s School, destroying and burning Christmas decorations, banners, and a nativity crib. Four arrests were made, but similar disruptions targeted shops selling festive items.
• Madhya Pradesh: In Jabalpur, BJP district vice-president Anju Bhargava allegedly assaulted a visually impaired woman attending a church event, accusing her of conversions. Separate mobs disrupted prayer meetings; no immediate action was taken against the BJP leader.
• Uttar Pradesh: Bajrang Dal protesters recited Hanuman Chalisa outside St. Alphonsus Cathedral in Bareilly, alleging objectionable portrayal of Hinduism in a Christmas programme.
• Rajasthan: RSS and Bajrang Dal members disrupted Sunday Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dungarpur, confronting clergy over alleged forced conversions.
• Kerala: An RSS worker attacked a group of child carollers in Palakkad, destroying instruments amid accusations of proselytisation.

These occurrences form part of a broader pattern, with over 700 cases of anti-Christian violence recorded by November 2025, according to the United Christian Forum — a rise attributed to unchecked Hindutva vigilantism and anti-conversion laws in BJP-ruled states.

Church leaders and rights groups warn that false narratives of forced conversions are fueling mob attacks, often with police inaction or complicity. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a Christmas service in Delhi, critics highlight a stark contrast with ground realities, accusing the BJP-RSS ecosystem of fostering intolerance. As families grieve disrupted celebrations and damaged sacred spaces, calls intensify for accountability and protection of India’s secular fabric. In a nation priding itself on diversity, no community should celebrate its holiest days in fear.