Xmas celebrated with fervour across Kerala; marred by sporadic violence at gatherings
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala celebrated Christmas with great joy and splendour on Wednesday.
Special prayers began in churches across the state, whose Christian community constitutes about 20 per cent of the population, on Tuesday evening and concluded with midnight masses.
Cardinal George Koovakkattil led prayers at Lourde Forane Church in Thiruvananthapuram, while Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of the Malankara Catholic Church, led services at St Mary's Church in Pattom.
In Wayanad district, survivors of the landslide-affected Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas gathered at St Sebastian Church in Chooralmala on Tuesday evening.
A special prayer service was held on Tuesday at 7 pm, where attendees remembered their loved ones who had been lost in the disaster.
Celebrations have however been married by sporadic attacks on Xmas gatherings with violence against the Christian community in Punjab, UP, Rajasthan as well as in Kerala.
Right-wing extremists attempted to disrupt Christmas celebrations across India. The miscreants indulged in acts including destroying festive displays, and challenged school events, all in the name of ‘opposing conversion’. and 'cultural invasion'.
In Palakkad, Kerala, the disturbance occurred at a government school was disrupted by activists from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, who stormed the premises, abused the staff and accusing them of promoting one religion over others. The protesting crowd questioned he Christmas carols and festive attire.
Two VHP leaders were arrested and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days in the state.