Hindu outfit's threat looms over Christmas in Aligarh

ALIGARH: The Hindu Jagran Manch has warned the management of all Aligarh schools against celebrating Christmas and threatened, if they did so, it would be "at their own risk".

The warning has set alarm bells ringing in all educational institutions in the Uttar Pradesh city, especially Christian schools, where this festival is celebrated by the students and staff.

In a circular, the outfit had warned schools "not to observe the traditional Christmas celebrations" and said if they do so, "it will be at their own risk".

"The circular would be reaching all schools very shortly and we will decide a course of action on receiving their response," Sonu Savita, city president of the Hindu Jagran Manch, told reporters here 
yesterday.

Expressing concern over this, Praveen Agarwal, president of the Public School Development Society, said: "Each year we celebrate festivals belonging to all communities and this experience helps our children to play a responsible role as citizens of this country."

Similar sentiments were echoed by Anurag Gupta, Convener of the Parents? Association, who said: "Our schools have been playing an important role in helping students acquire knowledge of different religions and this helps them when they move out to different countries all over the globe."

Senior superintendent of police Rajesh Pandey, however, made it clear that the district authorities would not allow anyone to force any school not to observe or celebrate Christmas.

Pandey told PTI he had assured all school managements that full security would be provided to them on Christmas and no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands.