Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended his first-ever Christmas service on Thursday, reaching out to Christians ahead of next year’s Kerala elections amid serial Hindutva attacks on Yuletide celebrations in several parts of the country.
“Attended the Christmas morning service at The Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society,” Modi posted on X, attaching photographs from the event at a colonial-era church in Delhi.
The service included prayers, carols, hymns and a special prayer for the Prime Minister by the Rt Rev Paul Swarup. Modi also posted a six-minute video of the event that captured him tapping his fingers to the beat of the carols.
“This morning we pray particularly for our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, that You would anoint him afresh with Your Holy Spirit,” went the opening lines of the prayer as the Prime Minister stood with folded hands.
“Empower him, Lord. Father, we know that those whom You call Your own, You also equip. And we know, Lord, that You have called him for this important task of leading our great nation,” the prayer continued.
“I, therefore, pray for a double portion of Your wisdom, understanding and discernment, that he may lead this nation on the paths of truth, justice and righteousness, and that You would bless him. Amen.”
Modi’s gesture came against the backdrop of attacks on Christmas celebrations by Hindutva groups, a trend on which the Prime Minister has so far maintained silence, as is his wont.
Jabalpur, in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, witnessed two attacks on Christian prayer meetings on December 20 and 22.
In the first incident, BJP deputy district president Anju Bhargav allegedly stormed the event with members of various Hindutva groups and assaulted a visually impaired woman in the presence of onlookers.
Widely circulated videos appear to show the raiders justifying their vandalism by accusing the organisers of illegal religious conversions.
Another prayer meeting was disrupted two days later, again on the plea of illegalconversions.
Videos from Odisha, another BJP-ruled state, show a man shouting at and chasing away street vendors selling Santa Claus caps. “This is a Hindu Rashtra. We won’t tolerate Christians here,” the man appears to say.
In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, a hotel cancelled Christmas celebrations following protests while in the national capital itself, goons allegedly threatened and chasedaway women wearing Santa Claus caps at an East Kailash market.
Palakkad in Left-ruled Kerala saw RSS cadres break up a carol-singing event by children.
It is widely believed that Modi’s attendance at the Christmas service is intended as an outreach to the numerically significant Christian community in Kerala, where Assembly polls are due next summer.
The BJP scored a surprise victory in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election earlier this month, boosting the party’s morale in a state that has remained outside its grasp.
A post on X by the Kerala BJP president, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, lent credence to the speculation.
“PM @narendramodi ji and the BJP believe in one simple idea — #SabkaSaathSabkaVikas. Every Malayalee and every Indian has seen this in action,” he wrote.
“No amount of propaganda by the opposition canerase this lived reality. As we move into another year of Modi ji’s leadership, one truth is clear — #ViksitBharat is incomplete without #ViksitaKeralam.
“It’s time to move past the politics of division and controversy and embrace the #PoliticsOfPerformance....”
Modi had made a similar outreach ahead of the 2024 general election. He had shown up at the 2023 Easter celebrations at Delhi’s Sacred Heart Cathedral and, during Christmas the same year, hosted an event at his residence.
On more than one occasion, Modi has referred to the BJP’s electoral victories in some of the northeastern states and Goa to claim the party has the support of the Christian community.
Modi’s overtures on Thursday, however, invited sharp questions from Major Archbishop Cardinal Baselios Cleemis of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, who referred to the recent attacks on Christians.
“On one side, the Prime Minister is taking part in Christmas celebrations. In another place, the opposite is happening,” he said, speaking in Malayalam at a Christmas event.
He criticised the government for the continuing violence despite its repeated assurances: “When it comes to translating those statements into action, they have failed.”
The Opposition too hit out at the Prime Minister.
“Love? Peace? Compassion? Harmony? Goodwill? Christmas?” Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said on X, replying to Modi’s post.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate posted: “Modi hugs the Pope for a photo-op, says he has an old connection with the Christian community. But random right-wing bullies and some BJP functionaries are terrorizing people celebrating Christmas, yet the govt chooses to be silent.”
Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK leader Stalin posted: “When a few right-wing violent groups, acting in the name of the majority, indulge in attacks and riots, even as the Hon’ble Prime Minister participates in Christmas celebrations, it sends a disturbing message to the nation.”