The increasing attacks on Christians raise many questions !!!
Scene One: Kolkata. A woman looks up and hears the melody of a song, accompanied by a stinging chill in the air. Before she can experience it, it vanishes. But she knows this special feeling will return at the end of 2026.
It’s the feeling that will come with Christmas-themed lights on Park Street (now Mother Teresa Sarani), carols echoing from stages in parks, and music playing on sidewalks, in churches and chapels. The main street is opened to pedestrians for two nights.
Churches are ablaze with lights. Few cities can match this festive spirit of community togetherness. Christmas in Kolkata is not an occasion that passes without leaving a mark. It takes its time, lingers, and soaks in genuine joy.
The Kolkata Christmas Festival, now in its 15th year, carries forward the centuries-old tradition of “Bodo Din.” From Christmas to the early days of the New Year, the festivities are celebrated by all. Lights, decorations, food. Choirs and bands perform for all who will stop and listen—and smile and sway to the music.
Scene Two: Somewhere in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, or Rajasthan. No, this isn’t the Christmas we know. Harassing those who earn their living by selling Santa Claus hats on the roadside. Beating up those who wear them. Toppling Christmas trees in malls. Destroying New Year’s decorations. Threatening a community immersed in prayer.
How different these two pictures are from each other! Senior Jesuit priest Father Cedric Prakash told this columnist: “What is happening to Christians in India today is not only unacceptable but also unconstitutional. On the one hand, the Prime Minister pretends that everything is fine and visits churches on Christmas Day, while on the other hand, he fails to condemn the attacks on the religious and social symbols associated with Christmas.”
The head of the largest organization of Catholic bishops in India also released a video message, saying: “Peaceful carol singers and worshippers gathered in churches have been targeted, causing fear and anguish among law-abiding citizens. Such incidents deeply offend the very spirit of our Constitution. I strongly condemn these acts of hatred and violence.”
However, the Christian community should not fall into the trap of only being drawn to the spotlight for “negative reasons.” Positive messages are key. This community has made significant contributions, particularly in the fields of education and health.
Seven crore students are enrolled in 54,000 Christian-run educational institutions across the country each year. At least three out of every four students studying there are non-Christians. Several Union Cabinet ministers are alumni of Christian-run institutions—JP Nadda, Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ashwini Vaishnav, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and in the past, even LK Advani.
These community-run health institutions serve approximately two percent of India’s population. Eighty percent of this work is done in remote and medically underserved areas. During the pandemic, more than a thousand hospitals made 60,000 inpatient beds available. With more than 3,500 institutions, the Catholic Health Association of India is India’s largest non-governmental health network.
Supreme Court advocate Colin Gonsalves clarifies that you won’t find a conviction in any court for forced conversion. This is all political propaganda. Today, 600 cases of attacks on Christians are registered every year in the country. If the judiciary remains silent, who will protect us?
You won’t find a conviction in any court for forced conversion. This is propaganda. Every year, 600 cases of attacks on Christians are registered in the country. If the judiciary remains silent, who will protect us?
