A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh has ordered five leaders of an outfit affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to not go within 500 metres of missionary schools and churches in the district on December 25, The Telegraph reported on Friday.

The Uttar Pradesh police had said on December 19 that they would provide security to all schools and colleges in Aligarh on December 25 after the Hindu Jagran Manch warned the institutes against celebrating Christmas.

Additional City Magistrate Renu Singh issued notices to Amit Raj, the zonal convener of the Hindu Jagran Manch, the organisation’s city president Sonu Savita, city general secretary Punit Sharma, and members Sanju Bajaj and Bablu Sani. The restraining order was issued under Criminal Procedure Code sections 107, 111 and 116, which pertain to “prevention of a breach of peace or disturbance of public tranquility”.

“Our objection is only against those schools that force Hindu students to dress like Santa Claus on Christmas or celebrate the festival,” Savita told The Telegraph. “We do not want to prevent Christians from celebrating Christmas. But missionary schools must not force Hindu students to celebrate the day.”