A tense atmosphere overshadowed Christmas celebrations in Hisar, Haryana, as a programme organised by the Bajrang Dal unfolded near the historic St. Thomas Church. The event, featuring a havan and mass recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa, took place at Krantiman Park, directly opposite the 160-year-old church and behind the Inspector General of Police's office.
Heavy Security and Disrupted Celebrations
The Bajrang Dal's 'Hindu Shakti Sangam' was conducted under a massive security blanket. The police deployed around 300 personnel, led by two Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs). The force included water cannons, tear gas shells, and VAJRA vehicles to prevent any breach of law and order. Despite the heavy presence, no untoward incident was reported from the site.
Inside the St. Thomas Church, Christmas prayers and rituals proceeded as planned. However, the palpable tension outside had a direct impact. Church attendance remained significantly lower than usual, with many devotees likely staying away due to the charged environment. The economic fallout was immediate for local businesses; flower shops set up near the church saw abysmal sales throughout the day.
Speeches on Demographics and Alleged Selective Action
Leaders from the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) addressed the gathering. Prominent figures present included Bajrang Dal national convenor Kishan Prajapati and state leader Radheshyam Kranti. During his speech, Kranti expressed concern over the rising Muslim population in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, and Kashmir, warning of serious consequences if the trend continued.
The speakers also paid tribute to Hindus allegedly killed in Bangladesh and criticised what they described as 'selective' action by authorities, weaving in references to historical and political issues. Notably, the park used for this event is also the annual venue for a church function, which was not organised this year.
Local Impact and Administrative Actions
The tension had a tangible economic cost for local vendors. Flower seller Vinod Kumar reported devastating losses. "I was expecting sales of around Rs 20,000 on Christmas, but sales did not even touch Rs 500," he said, blaming police barricading on both sides of the road for the poor business.
Prior to the event, a delegation of concerned citizens, including Prashant, Rajiv Sardana, Lalit Bhatia, Baba Krishna Pali, Harshdeep Singh, Jagdish Rai, and Saurabh Chhabra, had met Municipal Corporation Commissioner Neeraj Kumar and Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan. They raised apprehensions about the planned programme opposite the church. Following the meeting, the police issued notices to four organisers of the event through the Civil Lines police station.
Prashant, part of the delegation, argued that the church holds only one major annual event and organising a parallel programme on the same day seemed like an attempt to disturb communal harmony. He urged the administration to remain vigilant to ensure lasting peace in the city.
Parallel Incident in Fatehabad
Meanwhile, a separate commotion was reported in Bhuna town of Fatehabad district on Christmas Day. A celebration at the residence of Master Chimanlal was interrupted after members of the Bajrang Dal reached the spot and raised objections, alleging 'religious conversion.' The event, attended by members of the Christian community from Fatehabad and nearby districts, was halted upon the arrival of Station House Officer Om Prakash to prevent any escalation. Organisers maintained the programme was entirely peaceful.
