Tripura: pressure and intimidation against a Christian school to impose Hindu rituals

Activists from the extremist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad demonstrated in front of Holy Cross Convent School in Dharmanagar, demanding that a Hindu puja be celebrated on campus, forcing the school administration to call the police and suspend classes. The principal denounces a climate of growing intimidation. The bishop of Agartala tells AsiaNews: “These kinds of requests and accusations are unfounded and are a way to create divisions.”

Dharmanagar (AsiaNews) - The request to celebrate a religious ritual inside a Catholic school has sparked tensions and protests in the Indian state of Tripura, turning the educational institution into a new battleground for identity. On Thursday, activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demonstrated in front of the Holy Cross Convent School in Sakhaibari, Dharmanagar, demanding that the Saraswati Puja, the Hindu festival dedicated to the goddess of knowledge, be allowed to be celebrated on campus.

According to VHP leaders, over 70% of the students enrolled at the school belong to the Hindu community and wish to celebrate a holiday that, they say, has deep religious and cultural significance. The organization argued that the request was motivated by respect for the students' faith and traditions and was not intended to create religious divisions.

However, the school administration rejected the request, citing the internal regulations of the Holy Cross educational network, which prohibit the performance of religious rituals of any denomination on school campuses. The administration specified that this rule has been in force since the school's foundation and is applied uniformly.

As protests intensified outside the school gates, the authorities deployed police forces to prevent incidents and maintain public order. As a precautionary measure, the school administration suspended classes for the day to ensure the safety of students and staff. A meeting with parents was also convened on campus to explain the school's position and seek a peaceful solution.

During the meeting, the atmosphere became tense: some parents expressed support for the request to celebrate Saraswati Puja within the school. The situation escalated when some parents reportedly surrounded the principal, an episode that was then joined by VHP activists who entered the campus. The police intervened to restore calm: no injuries were reported and the situation was subsequently stabilized through discussions between the school administration and local authorities.

The VHP reiterated its request that Saraswati Puja be celebrated on Basant Panchami, emphasizing the religious significance of the date and assuring that the observance would be peaceful and led by the students. The school, for its part, reaffirmed its respect for all faiths but said it was bound by institutional policies prohibiting religious functions on campus, reiterating that the decision was administrative and not religious in nature.

In an interview with AsiaNews, Sister Pushpa B.S., principal of Holy Cross Convent School in Dharmanagar, denounced a climate of growing intimidation. “This was the second attack,” she said. “The first time, the crowd arrived on January 16 and demanded that the puja be celebrated. They also made unfounded accusations of forced conversions and made negative and offensive comments about my religious practices, saying that I do not follow the culture. They warned me that I would face serious consequences if I did not give in to their demands.”

The nun added that “on January 22, they returned with a larger crowd and reiterated their demand that the puja be held in our school.” Sister Pushpa recalled that the institute has 686 students and “serves the local community for the most part, while only a small percentage of the students are Christian, belonging to other denominations.” “Through our educational apostolate,” she emphasized, “we continue to contribute significantly to nation building by providing quality education based on values.”

The bishop of Agartala, Monsignor Lumen Monteiro, also expressed strong concern about what happened. “First of all, this school is a Christian minority educational institution and we are Indians, proud citizens of India, who uphold values and serve generations through our educational apostolate in Agartala,” he told AsiaNews.

“As bishop of the diocese of Agartala,” he added, “I strongly affirm that these kinds of requests and accusations are unfounded and represent a way to create divisions. By continuing to introduce accusations and incidents, we are becoming enemies of one another. This is not the way to prepare for Republic Day, the day our Constitution came into force, which guarantees the rights of minorities.”

Monsignor Monteiro called the accusations of forced conversions “unfounded and false,” pointing out that the request to celebrate the puja came “on the eve of Republic Day, when we celebrate the Constitution of our beloved India.” He also recalled that “this school is run by the Bethany Sisters in the diocese of Agartala and enjoys the constitutional rights and duties enshrined for all Indian citizens.” According to the bishop, the request was made by “partisan interests,” also considering that “that day was already a holiday and the puja could have been celebrated in appropriate places.”

“The educational institution run by the Bethany Sisters is a very popular school,” he added. “We offer quality education and a system of values to students. No religious activities take place within the school, and this request is absurd.”

The bishop finally warned of the social consequences of what is happening. “Unfortunately, many parents are forced to take sides in this situation, and even parents who are well integrated into society have to show which side they are on. This is dangerous and causes tension and community disharmony in a society that is otherwise peaceful.”