The protesters began chanting the Hanuman Chalisa on stage and pressured attendees to leave. Photo: File photo - Representational image The protesters began chanting the Hanuman Chalisa on stage and pressured attendees to leave. Photo: File photo - Representational image

Members of Hindutva groups disrupted a Christmas event at Rohtak's Shiv Punjabi Dharamshalamango win, where retired wrestler Khali was set to be the chief guest.

Before the event began, activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal caused a disturbance, claiming the event’s true purpose was to lure people to Christianity, reported ThePrint.

The protesters began chanting the Hanuman Chalisa on stage and pressured attendees to leave. Despite calling the police, the event organizers were forced to abandon the venue, leaving behind their decorations and food preparations.

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Sunny Hindu, who claimed to be a member of the VHP, asserted that the event at Shiv Dharamshala was not a Christmas celebration but a tactic to attract individuals by offering promises of healing and financial gains, with the ultimate goal of conversion.

He was quoted by ThePrint saying, “While everyone has the right to celebrate festivals linked to their faith, such events should not take place in public spaces. If they want to organize such gatherings, they should do so in their churches, not in a Shiv Dharamshala.”

Sushma Sanatani, another activist from the Hindutva movement, accused the event organizers of deceiving people, especially women, by claiming that attending the event would cure their ailments. She argued that the true intention behind the gathering was to recruit new members into their community by exploiting the vulnerable, offering financial incentives in exchange for conversion.

Apostle Parveen Singh, the organizer, explained that the event had been planned in advance, with posters and hoardings placed at key locations throughout Rohtak. “Our people, many of whom were women, traveled a long distance for the event, and preparations were in full swing. We had arranged for dinner and snacks throughout the day. However, they threatened our attendees with severe consequences if they stayed and forced them to leave,” Singh told ThePrint.

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He added that Khali had already arrived in Rohtak and was then taken to the church, where the event was eventually held. “Over Rs 8.5 lakh had been spent on the event, but people weren’t even allowed to eat the food or snacks at the dharamshalamango win,” he said. “I asked the police—don’t we live in a free country where everyone has the right to follow their religion? But they did not respond.”