Fringe Hindu group asks Aligarh schools not to celebrate Christmas, UP police alerts all SPs

“The Aligarh SSP (senior superintendent of police) and all district police chiefs have been directed to take strict legal action against those indulging in intimidation of any sort,” he said.

This directive comes after RSS-affiliate Hindu Jagran Manch issued a circular on Sunday, threatening the management of all Aligarh schools against celebrating Christmas saying, if they did so, it would be “at their own risk”.

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. All schools & colleges will be given security. People are free to celebrate festivals: RK Pandey, SSP Aligarh pic.twitter.com/6T6SBiq5aq

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 19, 2017

I don’t have knowledge of it. Govt has clear policies that all religions must be respected. People are free to celebrate festivals of any religion. Govt won’t interfere with it: Dinesh Sharma, Deputy CM on Hindu Jagran Manch’s warning to not celebrate Christmas in Aligarh schools pic.twitter.com/oFRCQC9GgH

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 19, 2017

The HJM has asked its district units in the state to visit private schools with a warning — don’t collect contributions for Christmas celebrations from Hindu students and don’t make it compulsory for them to attend the event. Alleging that schools promoted Christianity this way, the HJM has asked its district units to protest outside schools if their warnings were not heeded.

Aligarh HJM chief Sonu Savita said, “Most students in missionary and other schools are Hindus. Christian students in these schools are very few… with none in some cases. Thus, their major source of revenue is from the Hindus students. We will be telling schools that by celebrating Christmas, they are promoting Christianity.”