Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly condemned the alleged disruption of Christmas celebrations at a school by activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday. He urged people to unite against communal forces and described those responsible as "cultureless individuals" who have become an "insult to Kerala and its people."

In his Christmas Eve message, Vijayan emphasised that the people of Kerala have a unique mindset, marked by an openness to accepting and respecting the beliefs of others. We treat others' happiness as our own and see every celebration as an opportunity to share the sweetness of love," he said.

The Chief Minister further noted that it is a longstanding tradition in Kerala for people of different religious groups to join in one another's celebrations. "Today, some malicious communal forces are attempting to weaken this tradition and turn religious beliefs into causes of hatred," he added.

Vijayan also mentioned recent incidents of attacks on Christmas celebrations by the Sangh Parivar, highlighting the growing threat posed by these forces. We have a responsibility to resist these forces and protect the true essence of our state," he emphasised.

He extended his Christmas wishes, hoping the birth of Jesus Christ would inspire "messages of humanity and love", and called for a united celebration of the festival.

The recent alleged disruption of Christmas celebrations at a school by VHP activists, as well as the destruction of a symbolic crib by unidentified miscreants in Palakkad district, have sparked widespread protests across the state. The state government has deployed a special police team to investigate these incidents.