By Phrangsngi Pyrtuh
Christmas season offers solace at the end of a tumultuous year. Peace and tranquility for which the season is all about are but temporary respite. Ironically for some parts of the state, peace remains but wishful thinking and the recent disbanding of two militant groups in Garo Hills offers no guarantees for tranquility either. But yet peace assumes a whole new meaning during this time. It is, after all, the season for reconciliation and forgiveness irrespective of who you are and what you have done. And irrespective of which community or religious beliefs one hails, this is the time for us to rise above our human insecurities and other misgivings. Christmas is such an occasion. Just like Santa Claus who greets and spreads joy and goodwill to all no matter who they are, Christmas enjoins us to also spread cheers and goodwill to all.
The cold weather however can be hard on the infirm, the old, the homeless and other unfortunate souls. This season is also considered auspicious for weddings which adds extra zing to the meaning of Christmas celebrations. For the poor and the marginalized weddings can be an expensive affair prompting the State government to launch the Chief Minister’s Wedding Assistance scheme .At the end of it we prefer to avail the good things that are associated with the Christmas. This season is also the time we make personal resolutions, renew promises and reaffirm our commitments to all that is good. Some of us don the good Samaritan role helping out in whatever way we can. It does feel good to give back the extras or leftovers to the poor and needy irrespective of their class, caste or religion.
Christmas is definitely more than a religious observing ritual. It is embedded in socio-economic activity striking a chord with one and all. For a temporary period we sense the feeling of brotherhood and communal bonhomie. It is such a feel good occasion that it would seem ridiculous for anyone to spoil or cause disruption to the celebrations. Unfortunately this is actually what is happening right now. The new ruling dispensation at the Centre has courted controversy one after another on issues that have raised questions on its secular credibility (again). And there are ominous signs threatening the plurality and secularity of a diverse India. They have already caused dampeners for certain quarters on Christmas celebration this year. Mention has to be made of two separate events which have attracted media space and generated huge debate.
Few weeks back the country was in the grip of a RSS sponsored conversion row controversy in Agra where Muslim families were allegedly coerced to convert to Hinduism. Soon later the BJP MP Yogi Adityanath a firebrand Hindu fanatic further spewed poison by exhorting all willing Hindus to gather at Aligarh town on the 25th December for a massive recoversion ceremony. Why 25th and not any other day was the question? Is this a deliberate attempt to provoke? These and many other questions still remained unanswered. The BJP Government accused of failing to rein in its own party men shifted the blame on the UP government causing a political feud between the two. Thankfully the RSS affiliated group which was supposed to conduct the ceremony on Xmas day has called off the reconversion programme after the UP police issued strict warnings.
Days later the HRD Minister Smriti Irani was cornered for a notification from her ministry regarding observance of good governance for CBSE and Navodaya schools on 25th December. The activities listed (such as Declamation contest, Quiz etc) requires physical presence of students in schools on this day. Apparently a circular was also issued to all VCs of central universities to organize X-mas day as good governance day and a compliance report to be submitted. The rebuttal of the HRD Minister while confirming that an order was issued but only requires students to take the test online did not hold water. The last we heard is that the Government has asked all schools to complete the exercise before 25th.
What do these mean? Is there a pattern which links one event to the other? Is this an indirect way of castigating certain religious celebration observed by the Minority communities? Under what disguise is the Saffron led government at the centre readying to unleash its core Hindutva agenda? Is development agenda of PM Narendra Modi a mask as alleged by Congressman Digvijaya Singh? Today it is Christmas tomorrow it could be other religious festivals. One can get extremely cynical with the present political dispensation. The government is not even a year old and already there are controversies galore most threatening the secular idea of India.
The essence of secularism in a country such as India requires tolerance of exceptional levels because of its diverse culture. Attempts to give another meaning to Christmas short of renaming it is nothing but indoctrination of ideas that could cause irrevocable damage. Is it time for us to be wary of the government of the day? This article offers no answers but we must be vigilant. Till then let us hope that fascist ideas and right wing politics does not ruin Christmas as we know it.