Attacks on Christians during Christmas ‘assault on Constitution’: Diocese
Mangaluru: The Diocese of Mangalore has expressed grave concern over a series of incidents allegedly targeting Christians across several states during the Christmas season, describing them as an assault on India’s constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Roy Castelino, Public Relations Officer of the Diocese, said recent attacks and disruptions during Christmas celebrations were “deeply disturbing” and called upon governments to act decisively against those responsible.
The Diocese referred to multiple reported incidents, including an alleged attack on members of a Christmas carol group in Palakkad, Kerala, and obstruction faced by vendors selling Christmas-related items in various locations. In New Delhi, activists associated with a Hindu organisation allegedly harassed Christian women and children wearing Santa Claus caps, accusing them of religious conversion. In Bengaluru, the statement alleged that a church programme was disrupted and a priest threatened by a group led by Satyaniha Arya.
“These incidents undermine the secular fabric of the country and violate the fundamental right to freedom of worship,” the Diocese said, adding that such actions go against the spirit of the Constitution.
The statement also pointed to reports of disturbances during Christmas celebrations in states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Odisha, saying these developments had caused anxiety and distress among the Christian community. Noting that the Prime Minister had participated in Christmas prayers at a church in Delhi, the Diocese said the reported incidents elsewhere highlighted a troubling contrast between symbolic gestures and the ground reality faced by minorities. The Diocese stressed that the issue extended beyond a single religious community. “When any group’s right to practise its faith is threatened, it constitutes an attack on constitutional values and democracy itself,” the statement said.
Urging strict legal action against fundamentalist elements, the Diocese appealed to both the Centre and the states to ensure that minority communities are able to celebrate festivals without fear and live with dignity and security.
