Earlier this month, India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development requested all rural state schools celebrate a newly created event, Good Governance Day. In accordance, the schools were supposed to organize activities such as speeches, essay contests, quiz competitions and documentary screenings. This created a storm of protest because an ulterior motive seemed to be indicated by the date, Dec. 25.

Some of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s team seemed to be trying to take the focus—and the enjoyment—away from Christmas. Although...