The Assam Christian Forum (ACF) has expressed strong condemnation and demanded a suo motu First Information Report (FIR) regarding the vandalism of Christmas preparations at St Mary's School in Nalbari district. The incident, which occurred on December 24, 2025, involved members of a fringe Hindutva outfit who disrupted Christmas celebrations and damaged festive items in shops.
According to reports, the activists staged a protest against the celebration of Christmas in Nalbari town before forcing their way into St Mary's School in Panigaon village. They allegedly damaged decorations, burnt banners and posters announcing Christmas Day programs, and warned the school authorities against holding celebrations on the premises. The group has been identified as members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad Bajrang Dal (VHPBD). The activists reportedly raised slogans such as "Jai Shri Ram" during the protest.
Following the incident at the school, the group moved through Nalbari town, targeting shops selling Christmas-related goods. They allegedly set fire to decorative items outside several shops near the Jain Mandir area and entered shopping malls and other commercial establishments to burn Christmas merchandise. Bhaskar Deka, the VHP-Bajrang Dal Nalbari district secretary, told reporters, "We don't want Christian festivals here. Trade in festivals of Indian origin. But we do not accept doing business with a festival of non-Indian origin".
The ACF views the incident as a serious offense and a deliberate attempt to disrupt the harmony and religious freedom of the Christian community in Assam. The forum has expressed shock and urged the authorities to take immediate action against the culprits. As of December 24, 2025, police stated that no FIR had been registered because no formal complaint had been filed by the school authorities or shop owners.
St. Mary's School, where the initial vandalism occurred, serves around 1,000 students in an area with a small Catholic population, consisting mainly of teachers and religious sisters. The principal of the school, Fr. Baiju Sebastian, was in an official meeting with the District Commissioner when the incident occurred. Upon his return, he contacted the Additional Superintendent of Police, and the matter was brought to the attention of the Bishop of Bongaigaon Diocese.
The incident in Nalbari is part of a series of reported disruptions, vandalism, and intimidation targeting Christmas celebrations in various parts of India. Similar incidents have been reported in Chhattisgarh's Raipur, where Bajrang Dal activists vandalized Christmas decorations at a mall, and in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, where Hindutva organizations created a provocation by reciting the Hanuman Chalisa in front of a church. These events have raised concerns among church groups and civil rights organizations about increasing religious intolerance. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has also highlighted religious discrimination in India.
The Bongaigaon Diocese is currently observing its 25th anniversary, along with the silver jubilee of its Shepherd, Bishop Thomas Pulloppillil. Church sources have appealed for calm and prayer, expressing hope that such incidents will not deter the Church's commitment to serving society through education and social outreach.
