By: Ankit Raj Published in: *The Wire* Date: December 22, 2025 Source: thewire.in/communalism/cultural-awareness-vhps-appeals-against-celebrating-christmas-grow-louder
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has urged Hindus to refrain from celebrating Christmas. Scholars assert that this stance contradicts the principles of religious freedom and fraternity as outlined in the preamble of the constitution. *New Delhi:* The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has urged the Hindu community to refrain from celebrating religious festivals such as Christmas citing ‘cultural awareness’. The organisation has linked this appeal to safeguarding religion and tradition, targeting not only the general public but also shopkeepers, shopping malls, and educational institutions. In a letter dated December 13, Surendra Gupta, VHP’s ‘Indrapastha Province Minister’, wrote that in the current times, the Hindu community ought to engage in religious practices with self-restraint and dignity. The letter asserts that ‘organised efforts of religious conversion’ have been going on in various parts of the country for a long time, and participation in festivals of other faiths may lead to social acceptance of other faiths. *The Wire Hindi* asked Surendra Gupta whether his appeal does not contradict the essence of individuals’ religious freedom. He responded, “This issue is not about religious freedom, but rather about conversion. Christian missionaries exploit our tolerant nature; they carry out conversions, and this appeal aims to halt that.” The letter explicitly appeals to Hindus to refrain from celebrating Christmas in any manner. When Gupta was asked whether his appeal might foster religious polarisation and social exclusion, he replied: “Those who arrive here with the intent to convert should reflect on this. I assert that the church ought to publicly announce that they will refrain from any conversion activities within India. After that, they can do whatever they wish; what is the issue? There is no crisis. However, if you come here and openly conduct healing services, engage in conversion activities, and deceive innocent individuals to convert them – then do we not have the right to defend our society?” Healing services are Christian prayer gatherings, which Hindutva organisations often oppose. As per the 2011 census, there are roughly 27.8 million Christians in India, constituting about 2.3% of the overall population. In Delhi specifically, the Christian population exceeds 150,000. ‘The appeal is against the spirit of fraternity’ Supreme Court lawyer Shahrukh Alam describes the VHP’s appeal as being at odds with the spirit of fraternity that is enshrined in the constitution. In a conversation with *The Wire Hindi*, she states, “Technically, such an appeal can be made, yet it contradicts constitutional values. This is because it is not merely a disagreement or protest; rather, it is rooted in cultural delineation and exclusion, which is contrary to the moral principle of fraternity outlined in the Preamble of the Constitution.” “It also fosters a strange notion that ‘cultural awareness’ is derived from establishing distinct cultural boundaries, suggesting that the intermingling of various cultural traditions and influences should be regarded as impurity. While it is technically feasible to make such an appeal, when it becomes coercive or is accompanied by vigilantism (violent or coercive actions under the guise of vigilance), it undoubtedly constitutes a crime. Even in the absence of direct or additional force, when such exclusionary advice originates from a politically and socially dominant organisation, it has a tangible impact and fosters exclusion at a fundamental level. This is why it constitutes a breach of constitutional values,” she added. Alam referred to multiple instances. “The Supreme Court has thoroughly interpreted fraternity as a constitutional value in the case of *Prithviraj Chauhan v. Union of India* in 2018. Likewise, this principle was reaffirmed in the *Hijab* case of 2022. Additionally, the Supreme Court intervened in the Kanwar Yatra case, where devotees were advised to first verify the actual names of the food vendors.” What has the VHP stated on Hindu shopkeepers? The VHP has also raised concerns about shopkeepers and businesses that decorate their shops with signs such as ‘Happy or Merry Christmas’. According to the group, for Hindus to display such greetings solely for commercial gains promotes “cultural confusion and self-abasement.” The organisation has proposed that customers “consider” refraining from purchasing from these shopkeepers. Devraj Baweja, the president of the Delhi Trade Federation, said he had no objections to the VHP’s appeal. When this reporter asked him if he would adhere to this appeal and request shopkeepers to refrain from displaying ‘Happy Christmas’ signs and selling Christmas-related products, Baweja responded, “We will need to discuss this in a meeting, and there is nothing inappropriate about us making such an appeal as well.” Baweja elaborated, “We take pride in our culture; we should advocate for our culture rather than adopting that of others. Those who are Christian should engage in their practices. Hindus should engage in theirs.’ The VHP has also declared that its appeal letter will be directed to the management of shopping malls and school principals where Christmas is observed on December 25 or where decorations featuring ‘Happy Christmas’ are displayed. The VHP asserts that this appeal is not intended to incite conflict or hostility, but is aimed at fostering a ‘peaceful cultural awakening’. Nevertheless, critics argue that such appeals seek to regulate social conduct based on religious identity and contribute to a sense of division within a multi-religious society. VHP and Christians In its statement, the VHP has urged the Hindu community to remain organised and vigilant, citing lines such as “*D**harmo rakshati rakshitah *(Dharma protects those who protect it).” However, this raises the question of whether cultural self-confidence necessitates distancing from and regarding the public celebrations of other religions with suspicion. Highlighting the VHP’s purported anti-Christian history, Shamsul Islam, a former professor at Delhi University and a distinguished historian, states, “This is not a very old story. In 1997, the VHP, Bajrang Dal, and Hindu Jagran Manch obstructed Christmas celebrations for the first time in Dang, a tribal area in Gujarat. They set fire to numerous churches and took control of several Christian schools.” Furthermore, Islam added, “A significant number of Indians reside in countries where Christians are the majority, and they celebrate Diwali there without any issues. The largest Hindu temple outside of India is located in Chicago, where the predominant population is Christian. The second largest temple is situated in Abu Dhabi, a Muslim nation.” The professor joked, “The VHP ought to encourage all Indians to leave Western countries and return to India because Christians live there.” Islam said that the VHP, in tandem with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), did not oppose Christians during the British colonial period in India. He said, “The VHP regards Swami Vivekananda as a significant Hindutva philosopher, so they ought to study Vivekananda, who described Jesus Christ as a great liberator of humanity. Vivekananda also condemned Brahmins for their oppression of the Shudras, while Christian missionaries served them. Most crucially, as a faction of the RSS, the VHP must clarify to the nation why they refrained from opposing Christianity from 1925 until 1947.” The RSS was founded in 1925. The Modi era and Christians On November 29, 2025, approximately 3,500 Christians assembled near the parliament in response to a joint call from 18 Christian organisations. They said that the Union government had failed in curbing the rising violence and discrimination faced by their community nationwide. AC Michael, the convenor of the United Christian Forum (UCF), said that assaults on Christians have surged by 500% during Narendra Modi’s tenure as prime minister. Michael noted, “The count of violent occurrences was 139 in 2014, which escalated to 834 by 2024, marking an increase of nearly 500 percent.” In an interview with the Union of Catholic Asian News <https://www.ucanews.com/news/christians-protest-increasing-violence-near-indian-parliament/111159>, Michael remarked, “Repeated appeals have been made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the National Commission for Minorities to halt the violence, yet no measures have been implemented thus far.” According to UCF statistics, 4,959 incidents targeting Christians have been documented across the nation over the past decade, averaging around 70 cases annually. Michael said that nearly every incident follows a consistent pattern, characterised by threats, coercion, and violence executed by vigilante groups associated with religious extremists. *Translated from the Hindi original <https://thewirehindi.com/317946/vhp-calls-on-hindus-to-avoid-celebrating-christmas/> – which was first published in *The Wire Hindi *– by Naushin Rehman.*
