India is a democratic country and everyone has the right to celebrate, or not, any religious festival. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the “Right to freedom of thought and religion”, says that “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom... teaching, practice, worship and observance”. Festivals of any religion bring people together irrespective of where they come from, the religious views they hold, their race, or colour. Nothing is alien to anyone today in this globalised era. Festivals integrate people of all faiths. The core reason of celebrating Christmas is to establish peace and goodwill. I hope the forces issuing threats against celebrating the festival understand this (“States told to ensure order during Christmas”, December 24).
James Edwin Thomson,
Chennai
