Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM), a right-wing Hindutva group affiliated to the RSS, had last week verbally warned schools in Aligarh against celebrating Christmas. On Monday, the group repeated its warning in “writing” before the media, apparently hoping that the schools would bow to pressure.

But its calculation seems to have gone all wrong.

English-medium educational institutions, especially those run by a Christian management, have overcome their initial fears, if any, and decided to go ahead with the festivities.

“We organise a month-long Christmas celebration comprising several programmes, including sports, carol-singing and various competitions. Our programmes are being held as per schedule,” an official from a prominent missionary school in Lucknow said.

An Xmas tree decorated with colourful balls, stars and other accessories as well as a huge stuffed Santa Claus put up in the main veranda of the school are major attractions for children these days. After all, they have been preparing and decorating them over the last few days during arts and craft classes.

City Montessori School, Central Academy and Lucknow Public School, which have multiple branches across the city, are also preparing for Christmas celebrations slated to be held on Friday and Saturday. The schools will be shut on Monday on the occasion of Christmas.

Celebrations in several institutions such as the city’s Isabella Thoburn College and Loreto Convent already concluded peacefully this week and winter vacation has been declared.

Christian schools in Aligarh and other parts of the state are also going ahead with their Xmas plans. They are, however, also readying themselves to deal with miscreants if the situation arises. But they were not ready to disclose their arrangements for security reasons and none of them were willing to speak on record.

“We don’t want to be dragged into any controversy or attract attention of the hardliners. Children’s safety is our utmost priority,” they said.

There apprehensions indicate their lack of confidence in agencies which are entrusted to maintain law and order and deal with the hardliners.

A school principal from a missionary school in Aligarh said: “School managements are concerned over the warnings but not intimidated. We want the festival to go on peacefully without any adverse impact on the tender minds of children.”

Some parents are worried though. “Children should not be pushed to fanaticism. Surprisingly, the police haven’t taken any action against them (right-wingers). That’s the reason why I am worried about the safety of my kids,” says Shreya Tewari from Aligarh.

The reason behind Hindu Jagran Manch’s warning against celebrating Christmas is the fear that it may “lure” students to Christianity. The group had also asked Aligarh’s schools not to ask Hindu students to contribute for Christmas celebrations this year.

The group alleges that Christmas celebration in schools with a major population of Hindu students is a step “towards forced conversions”. “Students are asked to bring toys and gifts which is an easy way to lure them to Christianity,” city president of the manch, Sonu Savita, told the media, as reported by The Times of India.

Christian-run institutions across the state refuted the charges, while non-Christian alumni of missionary schools supported their stand.

Sharat Pradhan, senior journalist from Lucknow and alumnus of Christ Church School, said: “The HJM’s argument is ridiculous. In school, we used to go to Church every day. None of my schoolmates has converted to Christianity.”

Pradhan added: “The manch is not even a registered organisation. I haven’t heard of them before. The media is giving them unnecessary hype, which helps such fringe groups in our country get donations and propagate their communal ideology. The BJP’s deliberate silence over the HJM is appalling.”

Advocate Abha Singh, who studied at Loreto Convent in Lucknow, dubbed the HJM’s threat as a political gimmick and questioned UP Police’s inaction in this regard. “This is nothing but votebank politics. When the Supreme Court has declared all such (groups) as illegal and extra-constitutional, then why haven’t the cops taken action against the HJM? Such threats can’t be tolerated.”

“Schools hold events on the occasion of Holi, Diwali, Christmas and Eid. This is done to celebrate the cultural diversity of India and to inculcate communal harmony among children. But now the HJM is making attempts to discontinue this practice, which is against constitutional provisions,” teachers said.

Nevertheless, no school in Aligarh or elsewhere has lodged any formal complaint with the police so far. “Since we haven’t received any threat directly, we haven’t gone to the police,” the principal of one of the schools said.

After sleeping over the fringe group’s threat for a good three days, the state police finally woke up on Monday and directed all district police chiefs to ensure that Christmas festivities go smoothly without any untoward incident.

“The Aligarh senior superintendent of police and all district police chiefs have been directed to take strict legal action against those indulging in intimidation of any sort or stopping children from going to school,” ADG (law and order) Anand Kumar told Newslaundry.

On whether schools in Aligarh or other parts of the state had been provided security to safeguard children, Kumar said: “We have reviewed the security measures at schools and the district police chief has been instructed to take appropriate measures to ensure law and order at any cost.”

When asked why HJM members had not been detained so far, Kumar offered a detailed but less convincing response – “As per Article 19 of the Constitution, everyone has the right to dissent. However, no one is allowed to take the law into their hands. The HJM has been issued a notification under Section 107 and 116 of the Criminal Procedure Code, asking them to refrain from any unlawful activities. They have merely opposed Christmas celebrations in Hindu-majority schools. We would detain them if they create any problem or stop anyone from going to school.”

HJM’s threat came days after Bajrang Dal activists torched a priest’s car outside a police station in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, accusing carol-singers of conversion.

BJP leaders in both states have remained mum over the entire controversy. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath hasn’t spoken over the issue. Deputy CM Dinesh Chandra merely said: “People are free to celebrate the festivals of any religion. The government will not interfere with it.”

Do BJP leaders think that participating in the Xmas festival can push Hindu students towards Christianity?

When the party’s national spokesperson Shaina NC was asked this question, she said in gauged response: “I have studied at Mumbai’s Queen Mary School which is a convent. I have been part of carol-singing and other events. We even recited shlokas. Nobody is lured towards conversion by merely participating in these events.”

So, why hasn’t the BJP condemned the HJM and its vicious campaign which has the potential to further polarise our society? Shaina dodged the question. “Why do you want to put words in my mouth? Who gives the right to these dharm ke thekedar to speak on everyone’s behalf? Everyone in this country has got religious freedom. People opt for conversion due to their weaknesses and not because of schools,” she said.

The HJM is not the only organisation which takes on Christian groups. Hindu Yuva Vahini, set up in 2002 by Yogi Adityanath who is now CM, had early this year filed a complaint against the pastor of a church, accusing him of converting Hindus to Christianity.

In 2014, Adityanath, then an MP, had warned Christians not to celebrate Christmas outside Churches. “If they can call our ghar wapsi programme wrong, then holding such functions by Christian missionaries is also wrong,” he had then told Economic Times.

Meanwhile, several housing societies which celebrate Christmas every year are in a fix. “We are cautious and would take a call on celebrations in a day or two evaluating all factors,” said a resident of a plush housing society in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.