New Delhi, December 25 — Disruptions to Christmas celebrations in several parts of India this year have once again drawn attention to what church leaders, civil rights groups and opposition politicians describe as a now-normalised pattern of extremist violence and intimidation against the country’s Christian minority. While authorities have treated the incidents as routine law-and-order matters, critics argue that such attacks have become disturbingly common and socially tolerated.

Repeated Incidents, Familiar Script

Incidents were reported from multiple states, including Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Assam, where Christmas decorations were vandalised, prayer meetings disrupted and celebrations halted following objections raised by extremist Hindu nationalist groups.

In each case, the pattern appeared strikingly similar: mobs or organised groups accused Christians of “forced conversion,” entered private or semi-public spaces, damaged religious or festive symbols and intimidated worshippers — often in the presence of children. Police action, where taken, was largely reactive and limited to detentions or case registrations after public attention.

Community leaders noted that none of these elements were new. “This is no longer shocking,” said a senior church representative. “It has become routine in India — festivals are disrupted, accusations are made, and life moves on until the next incident.”

Extremism as a ‘Normal’ Feature of Public Life

Activists and analysts say the frequency of such incidents has led to their quiet normalisation. The term “Bhagwa terrorism” is increasingly used to describe what they see as organised, ideological extremism rooted in hardline Hindutva politics and symbolised by the saffron (bhagwa) banner.

“What makes this dangerous,” said a civil liberties lawyer, “is not just the violence itself, but the fact that it is treated as normal behaviour. When extremists disrupt Christmas every year and society shrugs, extremism becomes embedded in everyday life.”

Rights groups argue that the repeated framing of Christian worship as suspicious or illegal has created social permission for harassment. “When false conversion claims are repeated endlessly, mobs feel justified,” one activist said. “That is how extremism becomes ordinary.”

Political Responses and Institutional Silence

While political leaders issued customary Christmas greetings and called for harmony, opposition parties accused the ruling establishment of enabling normalisation through inaction. They pointed out that similar attacks have occurred during Christmas in previous years, often with minimal consequences for those involved.

“The message is clear,” said an opposition spokesperson. “You can intimidate minorities, vandalise their celebrations, and nothing fundamental will change. That is why this has become normal in India.”

Constitutional Guarantees, Everyday Fear

India’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, yet Christian leaders say the lived reality is one of caution and fear. In several areas, churches conducted services under heightened security or curtailed public celebrations to avoid confrontation.

“People plan Christmas now by asking, ‘Will there be trouble?’” said a priest. “That question itself shows how abnormal behaviour has been made normal.”

A Warning Beyond Christmas

As the holiday season ended, civil society groups warned that continued acceptance of such incidents as routine risks deepening communal divides. “When extremist violence becomes normal, democracy erodes quietly,” said one rights defender. “Today it is Christians at Christmas. Tomorrow it can be anyone.”

Authorities say investigations are ongoing, but critics insist that unless extremist intimidation is treated as a serious threat rather than a seasonal nuisance, the normalisation of violence against minorities will only continue.