Hindu group warns schools against Xmas celebrations in India

NEWS DELHI: Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) has warned schools in Aligarh against Christmas celebrations, saying that any such function by Christian schools was “essentially a ploy to lure and convert Hindu children.”

According to India media, The Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) has warned the managing bodies of schools run by Christian NGO’s against collecting contributions from Hindu students and threatened schools against celebrating Christmas, claiming it would be “at their own risk.”

This threats instilled fear among the children, halting them to  make their   presence in the schools.

Warning hasn't reached schools yet. We're probing to see what charges can be made in this matter. It doesn't look like an advisory but it instills fear among children.

“No school has a majority of Christian students. So why do these schools where Hindu students are in majority celebrate Christmas?” An Indian newspaper quoted the Sonu Savita, president of the Aligarh unit of as saying.

As per reports, HJM volunteers were running an “awareness campaign” among the parents whose children studied in Christian schools, warning that HJM and other Hindutva groups would hold protests outside the schools if they “forced” Hindu children to celebrate Christmas.

Reacting to the threat, Pramod Singh of the Christian Legal Association said that such warning is an attempt to make minorities second class citizens.

Many Aligarh based civil society group like Muslim Forum have approached to police against the HJM’s diktat.