Archive · 24 Dec 2025
Vendors Harassed in Puri for Selling Christmas Items
A video from Puri, India, shows some men stopping their car near vendors selling Christmas items like Santa hats and pictures.
The men shouted at the vendors, asking why they were selling Christian items in a Hindu country.
They also asked the vendors about their religion and if they had permits to sell their items.
The men told the vendors to pack up and leave the city.
People on the internet are shocked and upset by this incident, as India is known for its diversity and unity.
The men in the video were not authorized to ask these questions or force the vendors to close their stalls.
The Bajrang Dal and the VHP denied any link with the troublemakers, but they said they did not appreciate the sale of products connected with other religions near a prominent Hindu shrine.
Vendors selling Christmas items in Puri, Odisha, were harassed by a group of men in an SUV near the Shree Jagannath Temple.
The men asked the vendors about their religious identity and demanded to see their permits, threatening to hand them over to the police.
The group told the vendors that they could not sell Christian items in a Hindu Rashtra and asked them to leave the city.
The Bajrang Dal and the VHP denied any link with the troublemakers but expressed disapproval of selling Christian items near the temple.
The incident has sparked shock and disbelief on the internet, highlighting concerns about unity in diversity in India.
- Who
- Unidentified men and street vendors in Puri, Odisha
- What
- Vendors selling Christmas items were harassed and asked to close their stalls
- When
- Monday (exact date not specified)
- Where
- Near Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha, India
- Why
- The men questioned the sale of Christian items in what they referred to as a Hindu Rashtra
- Location
- Puri, Odisha, India
- Incident Duration
- 2 minutes 20 seconds
- Items Sold
- Christmas caps, Santa costumes, pictures
- Key Question
- Why are you selling Christian items in a Hindu Rashtra?
- Viral Platform
- Social media
- Public Reaction
- Shock and disbelief
- Authorized Party
- No
- Distance from Temple
- 1.5 km
- Distance from Beach
- 3 km
