When theft in a Delhi school was used to drive mass hysteria on communal lines

NEW DELHI: On Friday morning, a day before Delhi gets a new state government, came the news that Holy Child Auxilium, a school in Vasant Vihar which is also the alma mater of Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, was “attacked” by unidentified masked persons.

Since it was a school run by Christian missionaries, the secular ecosystem decided not to wait for facts and declare it as an attack on the minorities.

The first big celebrity to highlight the case was Arvind Kejriwal, who will become the Chief Minister of Delhi tomorrow:

I strongly condemn the attack on Holy Child Auxilium school. These kind of acts will not be tolerated

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 13, 2015

With his tweet, Kejriwal set the tone that this was a “communal” incident, though his tweet didn’t mention it explicitly.

And after that, as if right on cue, string of “usual suspects” started claiming that there as a “pattern” and Christians were being targeted systematically.

They included journalists, who solved the case before the police: 

Every time a church vandalised in Delhi it’s described officially as a case of theft-Is it the failure to join the dots or willful denial? — barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 13, 2015

Congress politicians, who didn’t lose opportunity to attack Smriti Irani:

6 attacks on Christian centres in Delhi in a month. Last night on Vasant Vihar school. HRD min visiting to give lecture in Sanskrit. Shame

— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) February 13, 2015

Muslim “activists”, who declared that India was already a fascist country: 

After church attacks now christian schools are targeted in Delhi, are monitories not safe in a secular country? Who’s is accountable? — Ajaz Lone (@ajazlone) February 13, 2015

and Christian “activists”, who blamed government for planting these attacks:

Barely surprised that the latest church attack took place in a school. The only thing this govt. values less than minorities is education.

— Sonia Faleiro (@soniafaleiro) February 13, 2015

But it didn’t take much time to prove that these assorted set of journalists, politicians, and activists were pushing a pre-decided propaganda.

To the credit of staff and management of Holy Child Auxilium, who too are Christians, they conceded that there was no “communal” angle to the incident and it looked a case of theft.

This is not a case of vandalism, no religious articles have been touched. : Sister Lucy, Principal pic.twitter.com/r4tPGdbvZ9 — ANI (@ANI_news) February 13, 2015

Some journalists too reported the truth, instead of spreading the paranoia and propaganda

The so called attack on Holy Child Auxilium School in Delhi is actually a case of theft. 8000 stolen, CCTV camera shut. No communal angle.

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 13, 2015

But even after clarification by police and school staff, many journalists and activists were still spreading the paranoia as if this incident was “communal” in nature.

Perhaps their motive was never to secure safety for the Christian community, but to work on a pre-decided message. Or as Goebbels had suggested – repeat a lie till it becomes the truth – and these usual suspects are known to repeat a lie thousand times.