Xmas under watch: Faith, assertion, and Haryana administration's tightrope walk in Hisar, Fatehabad

Rohtak: Christmas Day in Haryana unfolded not merely as a religious celebration, but as a test of the state’s ability to manage competing assertions of faith, public order, and constitutional guarantees. In Hisar and Fatehabad, events around churches on December 25 revealed how religious symbolism, political mobilisation, and administrative caution intersect in an increasingly charged public sphere.

In Hisar, the administration deployed heavy security, including three police companies, four Deputy Superintendents of Police, barricades, and even a water cannon near the 160-year-old St Thomas Church, one of the city’s oldest Christian institutions. The precautionary measures were triggered by announcements from Hindu organisations, including the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), that they would hold a Hanuman Chalisa recitation and a yagna at Krantimaan Park, located directly opposite the church.

The programme, which began in the afternoon, drew several prominent leaders of the Bajrang Dal, including national coordinator Kishan Prajapati and state-level organisational functionary Radheshyam Kranti. Despite notices issued by the district administration a day earlier, cautioning organisers against holding events without prior permission and warning that any breach of peace would be their responsibility, the programme went ahead as scheduled.

Speeches delivered at the park framed the event not merely as a religious recitation but as part of a broader ideological narrative. Speakers referred to demographic changes in various states — ranging from West Bengal and Assam to Kerala and Tamil Nadu — claiming that religious conversions posed a long-term threat to Hindu society. While the event remained largely peaceful, the language used underscored the anxieties and polarisation that have come to characterise such mobilisations.

The police, for their part, maintained a visible but restrained presence. Haryana Police commandos were stationed inside the park; movement in the surrounding area was regulated through barricading, and crowd flow was carefully managed to prevent flashpoints. Senior officers maintained that the situation remained under control throughout the day, with no major incidents reported in Hisar.

If Hisar reflected a tightly managed stand-off, Fatehabad presented a more disruptive picture. In Bhuna town, members of the Christian community had gathered at the residence of a local teacher, Chiman Lal, to celebrate Christmas. The gathering included families, women, and children, with attendees coming from Fatehabad and neighbouring districts.

According to accounts from the organisers, the celebration was peaceful until a group of people arrived and objected to the event, alleging religious conversion activities. The confrontation quickly escalated into a verbal dispute. Police were alerted, and Bhuna Station House Officer Om Prakash arrived at the spot with personnel. To prevent the situation from further deteriorating, the police dispersed the gathering, effectively ending the Christmas programme.

Chiman Lal later said that the interruption was deeply hurtful. He pointed out that Christmas also coincided with his own birthday and that the gathering was a private, joyous occasion that posed no threat to anyone. Another attendee emphasised that India’s constitutional framework guarantees freedom of religion and the right of all communities to celebrate their festivals without fear. “Everyone has their own faith,” he said, arguing that disrupting such events undermines the spirit of coexistence.

Interestingly, local Bajrang Dal leaders denied organisational involvement in the Fatehabad incident. Block-level coordinator Anil Nehra claimed he was not present in the town at the time and insisted that Bajrang Dal members had not protested. Station House Officer Om Prakash also stated that those who objected were local residents rather than members of any formal organisation. However, organisers alleged that objections were raised using the familiar charge of “forced conversion,” a claim that has increasingly surfaced around Christian gatherings in several parts of the country.

The administration’s response in both districts highlights the delicate balancing act it faces. On one hand, authorities stressed that it was their responsibility to maintain law and order and prevent communal tension.

The events in Hisar and Fatehabad are not isolated. They reflect a broader national pattern where religious festivals increasingly become sites of assertion and counter-assertion. Public spaces, especially those near places of worship, are being reimagined as arenas for symbolic demonstrations. In such an environment, even routine celebrations risk being interpreted through the lens of demographic anxiety, identity politics, and ideological competition.

Christmas in Hisar and Fatehabad thus passed without bloodshed, but not without leaving behind uneasy questions—about space, belonging, and the future of religious coexistence in everyday India.