Don’t let kids dress up as Santa Claus without parents’ permission: District education officer to schools in MP

“Unilateral disciplinary action will be proposed against your organisation if there are complaints in this regard,” it added.

Dubey said there have been complaints in the past, and that the order does not ban Christmas events in schools.

“The circular does not ban any events in schools during the coming festive season. In the past, there have been instances of parents complaining about their wards being made part of such events in schools without their consent, and the circular is aimed at preventing such disputes. It’s better to prevent such controversies rather than acting after the incident has occurred,” he said.

Following the circular, right-wing group Sanskriti Bachao Manch in Bhopal also issued a warning to a school, asking its administration not to allow students to dress up as Santa Claus without the permission of parents. The outfit’s president, Chandrasekhar Tiwar, also protested against the “long leaves” given to students during Christmas, alleging that on Diwali, only two days’ leave is granted while on Christmas, it is 10 days.

In 2022, the VHP had asked schools not to ask students to dress up as Santa Claus or bring Christmas trees without their parents’ permission, claiming that this was “an attack on Hindu culture” and “a conspiracy to influence Hindu children with Christianity”.