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Effigies of Santa Claus were burnt in Agra on Friday, claiming the mythical figure to be part of a “strategy” by Christian missionaries to convert people. Accusing Christian missionaries of using the Christmas festival as an opportunity to spread Christianity by resorting to gift-distribution spree through Santa Claus to attract children and the poor towards their religion, some outfits burnt effigies of the mythical character. “As December comes, the Christian missionaries become active in the name of Christmas, Santa Claus and New Year. They allure children by making Santa Claus distribute gifts to them and attract them towards Christianity, regional general secretary Ajju Chauhan of the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal alleged. The outfit’s other member Avtar Singh Gill claimed, “We will keep an eye on the missionaries who visit slums and convert Hindus to Christianity. The members would also act strictly against them.”
Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal general secretary Ajju Chauhan accused missionary schools of trying to forcibly convert students by dressing them up as Santa Claus and punishing the kids if they do not comply.
“Santa [Claus] does not come bearing any gifts, his only goal is to convert the Hindus to Christianity. It’s not going to work anymore. Any attempt at conversion will not be allowed to succeed. If this is not stopped, then there will be agitations at missionary schools,” said Ajju Chauhan.
Rashtriya Bajrang Dal President Avtar Singh Gill told India Today that on one hand, Christian missionaries are running big schools, but on the other, they are converting Hindus.
“Teams will be formed by Rashtriya Bajrang Dal to prevent this. These teams will keep an eye on settlements and mohallas so that such malicious attempts to convert to Christianity are thwarted. If any missionary is found doing this, the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal will take strict action against him,” warned Avtar Singh Gill.
The activists of Hindu outfits Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal burnt effigies of Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas outside St John’s College on M G Road and various schools in the city. The incident took place at the intersection of St John’s College on Mahatma Gandhi Marg on Christmas Eve. Members of the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal took out a procession carrying effigies of Saint Nicholas, more commonly known as Santa Claus. These effigies were then set ablaze while activists raised slogans like “Santa Claus Murdabad”.
