E-Paper
Christmas event disrupted in Assam; two detained
According to eyewitnesses, the group entered the event at the Presbyterian Church around 10 pm and started demanding that Hindus leave the church saying christmas is a “festival of outsiders”.
Two men were detained after a group disrupted a Christmas event in Silchar town on Saturday night demanding that Hindus should not participate in it, police said Sunday, adding that a suo motu complaint has been filed against the duo.
According to eyewitnesses, the group entered the event at the Presbyterian Church around 10 pm and started demanding that Hindus leave the church saying christmas is a “festival of outsiders”.
The men claimed they were activists of Bajrang Dal but the outfit has denied any association with them.
A member of the group said, “We have no issues with Christians celebrating Christmas... Our problem is with the Hindus came here... as they dress up to a church and sing ‘merry christmas’.” The group left before the police reached.
Cachar district SP Ramandeep Kaur said, “Nobody has registered any complaint officially but on the basis of video footage on social media, we have registered a complaint. Two individuals have been picked up for interrogation and further investigation is going on.”
Sources with knowledge of the matter said the duo was released on PR bond later on Sunday evening and were instructed to appear before Silchar Sadar Police Station on Monday morning.
Bajrang Dal’s president for Cachar, Dima Hasao and Mizoram, Mithun Nath, denied any involvement in the incident.
“We decided not to interrupt Christmas celebration and ordered all our members to refrain from doing any such thing. We are trying to find whether these boys are our members,” he told HT.
Senior journalist Anirbanjyoti Gupta strongly condemned the incident and said his son was assaulted by the group.
Senior journalist Anirbanjyoti Gupta strongly condemned the incident and said his son was assaulted by the group. “My father was an RSS Karyakarta and legends like pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji stayed in our house. Grandson of such a man has been manhandled just for attending a Christmas festival in Silchar... Shame, shame, shame. Is it the Culture of Hindutva? We should think once again,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday night.
