The Equality and Human Rights Commission joined forces with high profile faith leaders to claim back Christmas yesterday.  The Commission said it was responding to a growing feeling that it’s taboo to celebrate Christmas in our public spaces.

This year it is the traditional Christian nativity play that is the centre of the stories, with the usual reports of a local authority or public body falling prey to the accusation of “cancelling Christmas” and PC running amok. The resulting media furore is now a regular ritual of the holiday season.

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said,
“A lot of these stories about Christmas are the usual silly season stuff. But I can’t help feeling there’s sometimes an underlying agenda to use this great holiday to fuel community tension.
That’s why I asked leaders in different religious communities to join me in saying: It’s time to stop being daft about Christmas. It’s fine to celebrate and it’s fine for Christ to be the star of the show.”

In the joint statement, senior figures from the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities added their voice to the concerns raised by Phillips. Anil Bhanot, General Secretary, Hindu Council UK said “Hindus celebrate Christmas too. It’s a great holiday for everyone living in Britain. We would like Christians to continue to carry Jesus’ message of love. Barring the faiths of others does not fit in with the Hindu religion.”

Regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Dr Indarjit Singh, Director, Network of Sikh Organisations UK, said,
“Every year I am asked, ‘do I object to the celebration of Christmas?’ It’s an absurd question. As ever, my family and I will send out our Christmas cards to our Christian friends and others. In the spirit of Christmas, we in the Singh family will, as usual, force ourselves to have extra turkey, Christmas pudding and mince pies, the lot – all in the cause of inter-faith harmony. No one can say Sikhs don’t go the extra mile!”