New Delhi, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A political row erupted on Thursday over the Indian hockey team’s reported saffron-coloured kit for the 2026 Hockey World Cup, with several Opposition leaders accusing the BJP-led NDA government of politicising sport and cautioning against using colours in a manner that could create social divisions.
Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Azad Samaj Party-Kanshi Ram chief and MP Chandrashekhar Azad said saffron was a historic and cultural colour that should not be claimed by any political party.
“If the government has taken this decision, perhaps it is trying to associate things linked to the majority with itself. But saffron does not belong to any one party. It has existed since the time of Lord Buddha,” he said, adding that the politicisation of colours should not divide society.
Samajwadi Party MP Pushpendra Saroj also criticised the reported move, alleging that the government’s influence was extending beyond institutions into public life. He said blue had long been associated with Indian sports across disciplines and had become a neutral and motivational symbol through the popular “Bleed Blue” slogan.
“For years, whether it is cricket, hockey or other sports, blue has represented India. The government should focus on governance rather than promoting any particular ideology or colour,” he said.
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad questioned the need to introduce what he described as a religious colour into sports. However, the former cricketer stressed that a team’s success ultimately depends on its performance rather than the colour of its jersey.
“In cricket, we played in white clothes. Victories come through performance, not the colour of the uniform,” he said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh also attacked the ruling dispensation, alleging that it was attempting to politicise every aspect of public life.
Earlier in the day, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra commented on concerns reportedly raised by former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha over the traditional blue jersey allegedly being replaced with a saffron kit for the 2026 World Cup.
Referring to broader political issues, Priyanka Gandhi said, “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.”
The reported jersey change has triggered a wider political debate, while no official announcement on the matter has been cited in the statements made by the Opposition leaders.
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