India, Dec. 29 -- The manipulation of religious festivals to foment hatred and provoke communal violence has been a strategy employed by certain right-wing political forces in India for many years. Since 2014, however, the intensity and frequency of such attempts have increased phenomenally. Election rallies are often marked by speeches laced with hatred against particular religious communities. Some political parties and affiliated organisations appear to operate with impunity, openly indulging in hate speech and spreading communal disharmony.

In recent years, Christmas has increasingly become a target of communal forces. According to a report published by The Wire on December 22, 2025, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) issued a controver...