Christmas was a day of festivity — and fear

Few cities in the world can match the festive fervour of togetherness and community. Christmas in Kolkata is not an occasion that pops by and goes away without leaving a trace. (Illustration: Mithun Chakraborty)

One country, two Christmases. Scene one: Kolkata, West Bengal. The resident of Calcutta (no, we are not touchy about the name) looks up, and there is definitely a snatch of song, a swiftly moving nip in the air. Before she can catch it, it is gone. But the Calcuttan knows that special feeling will return at the end of 2026. It will be back with the Christmas-themed lights on Park Street (now Mother Teresa Sarani), in the singing of carols on stages erected in parks, by buskers on city pavements, in cathedrals and chapels. The city’s iconic main street becomes “pedestrians only” for two nights. Churches shine bright with the light at the advent of a new season. Few cities in the world can match the festive fervour of togetherness and community. Christmas in Kolkata is not an occasion that pops by and goes away without leaving a trace. Like Durga Puja, and like Eid in the city, it takes its time, settles in, and savours the joy.

The Kolkata Christmas Festival, now in its 15th year, continues to uphold the centuries old tradition of the Boro Din (“big day”, as Christmas is traditionally referred to in Bangla). In the days leading up to it and the New Year, the festival is embraced by everyone. The lights, the decorations, the food. The choirs, the bands perform for anyone who will stop awhile and listen — and smile and sway to the music.

Scene Two: Somewhere in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan. No, this is not the Christmas we know. Harassing those earning a living selling Santa Claus caps on the roadside. Beating up those wearing them. Tearing down Christmas trees in malls. Ransacking decorations put up for the New Year. Threatening a congregation as they worship.

The images were in sharp contrast.

Father Cedric Prakash, a Gujarat-based senior Jesuit priest and rights activist, told your columnist: “What is happening to Christians in India today is not only unacceptable but blatantly unconstitutional. This is hypocritical. On one hand the Prime Minister pretends that all is well and does photo-ops in churches on Christmas Day, and then does not condemn the attacks on religious and social symbols associated with Christmas. It is also shameful that some of the Christian hierarchy and clergy are ensnared by the BJP’s wiles and selfish interests.”

A few hours after your columnist called out the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, the head of the largest body of Catholic bishops in India — for the first time in recent memory — put out a scathing message on video: “Peaceful carol singers and faithful gathered in churches have been targeted, causing fear and distress among law-abiding citizens who seek only to celebrate their faith in peace. Such incidents deeply wound the spirit of our Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. I unequivocally condemn these acts of hatred and violence.”

The Christian community must not fall into the trap of being only sucked into the headlines for “negative reasons”. Positive messaging is the key. The community has made a significant contribution, especially in education and healthcare. Every year, 6 crore students are enrolled in the 54,000 Christian-run institutions across the country. At least three out of four students in these institutions are non-Christians — Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist. There is a long list of Union Cabinet ministers who are alumni of Christian-run institutions. J P Nadda, Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ashwini Vaishnav,  Jyotiraditya Scindia (and, of course, L K Advani) are just a few examples.

Healthcare institutions run by the community serve about 2 per cent of India’s population. Eighty per cent of this work is done in remote, medically unserved regions. During the pandemic, 60,000 inpatient beds were offered in over 1,000 hospitals. The Catholic Health Association of India, with over 3500 institutions, is the largest non-governmental healthcare network in India. The association consists of 76,000 health professionals, 25,000 nurses, 10,000 paramedics, and 15,000 social workers.

Colin Gonsalves, advocate, Supreme Court, points out: “Right from the Kandhamal riots, till today, allegations have been made against Christians. But no one will be able to show you a single conviction by a single court that even one person has forcibly converted somebody. It is all political propaganda, now rising to the level of violence. These kinds of attacks on Christians that are taking place across the country are akin to terrorism. There are 600 attacks per year on Christians. If the judiciary keeps silent, we have no one to protect us, and these kinds of terrorists carry on, because judges are silent.”

The writer is MP and leader, All India Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party