New Delhi: Amid a controversy over the hockey team’s new saffron-coloured kit for the 2026 World Cup, Opposition leaders on Thursday hit out at the ruling BJP-led NDA, cautioning that “politicisation of colours” should not lead to divisions among people.
Speaking to IANS within the Parliament premises, Azad Samaj Party-Kanshi Ram chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad said: “If the government has taken this decision, perhaps it is trying to bring things associated with the majority into its own colour. However, saffron is not their own colour. It has existed since the time of Lord Buddha.”
While emphasising that sentiments of people should be respected, he said: “Politicisation of colours should not divide people’s hearts. This kind of colour politics is dangerous.”
Attacking the BJP, Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj added: “Earlier, we used to hear that government institutions were being used to appoint their (BJP’s) own people and get extensions. But some time ago, an expert said that they would interfere in people’s lifestyles, colours, and appearances as well, and today that seems to be happening.”
Asserting that ‘blue’ should continue to remain the colour for sports in the country, he said: “For a long time, whether it is cricket, hockey, or other sports, blue has been the colour. Blue has been a neutral and motivational colour. Whenever India goes to play in any World Cup or tournament, the slogan is ‘Bleed Blue’. It is very unfortunate and surprising that such news has come to light. The government should listen to the voices of the people and stop promoting such ideology and colours and instead focus on governance.”
While questioning the alleged saffronisation of sports, Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad said: “If our colour for sports has been blue so far, it should have remained like that. Why use religious colours for sports?”
However, he asserted that it is the performance on the field that matters.
“In cricket, we used to play in white clothes. Success doesn’t come from the colour of your clothes; it comes from your performance,” Azad told reporters.
Taking a jibe at the BJP, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh said: “These people are mentally bankrupt. Next, they will even paint trees orange instead of green.”
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reacted to concerns raised by former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha over the traditional Indian blue jersey allegedly being replaced by orange ones.
“Whether they change the uniform or try to rewrite history through the education policy, no matter what they do, the youth of this country have made their views clear. You saw what the young people gathered at Jantar Mantar were saying. That is the voice of the nation,” she told reporters outside the Parliament House.
(IANS)
