LUCKNOW: The BJP government in UP has started painting the secretariat annex building, which houses the offices of chief minister Yogi Aditya Nath and top bureaucrats, saffron on a part of the facade and boundary wall.
Last month, the state government had rolled out saffron buses. The department of energy, too, has come up with a scheme wherein electricity connections to unauthorised colonies would be provided through poles painted saffron. The information department's official site and booklet have a saffron tinge as well.
The UP estate department has started painting the annex saffron, or 'bhagwa', after getting the CM's nod. Estate officer Yogesh Kumar Shukla confirmed to TOI on Monday that the colour was chosen after consultation with the CM, chief secretary Rajive Kumar and urban development minister Suresh Khanna. "The building needs repair and a paint job. The saffron colour was chosen since it was liked by everyone," he said.
The annexe has traditionally been white and light yellow. "This is the first time that a peculiar colour code has been chosen by the state government," said a senior official in the secretariat.
Opposition parties slammed the state government, saying the choice of colour was a "political decision".
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary termed it "misuse of power". "Ye bhagwakaran ki rajneeti hai (It's all saffron politics)," he added. Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh said BJP was using a colour that represented 'Sanatan Dharma', but didn't follow the rule of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'the world is one family'.
"Colouring a building won't hide their deeds of creating divisions among people," Singh added.
BSP's Lalji Verma termed it a "gimmick".
Last month, the state government had rolled out saffron buses. The department of energy, too, has come up with a scheme wherein electricity connections to unauthorised colonies would be provided through poles painted saffron. The information department's official site and booklet have a saffron tinge as well.
The UP estate department has started painting the annex saffron, or 'bhagwa', after getting the CM's nod. Estate officer Yogesh Kumar Shukla confirmed to TOI on Monday that the colour was chosen after consultation with the CM, chief secretary Rajive Kumar and urban development minister Suresh Khanna. "The building needs repair and a paint job. The saffron colour was chosen since it was liked by everyone," he said.
The annexe has traditionally been white and light yellow. "This is the first time that a peculiar colour code has been chosen by the state government," said a senior official in the secretariat.
Opposition parties slammed the state government, saying the choice of colour was a "political decision".
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary termed it "misuse of power". "Ye bhagwakaran ki rajneeti hai (It's all saffron politics)," he added. Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh said BJP was using a colour that represented 'Sanatan Dharma', but didn't follow the rule of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'the world is one family'.
"Colouring a building won't hide their deeds of creating divisions among people," Singh added.
BSP's Lalji Verma termed it a "gimmick".
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