Indian cricketers are likely to don orange jerseys during their World Cup encounter with England. (File)With reports doing the rounds that Indian cricketers are likely to don orange jerseys during their World Cup encounter with England, Congress and the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to “saffronise” everything.
While reminding PM Modi that the colours of the Indian flag were decided by a Muslim leader, SP MLA from Mumbai Abu Azmi said the jersey of the team should have had shades of the tricolour.
“Today, jerseys are being made saffron. Modi ji, the person who decided the colours of the national flag was a Muslim leader. If you want to pick a colour for the jersey, pick the tricolour, I won’t mind. But it will be unjust if you paint everything saffron…..people should oppose it,” PTI quoted Azmi as saying.
Endorsing Azmi’s stand, Congress MLA Naseem Khan said the Modi regime was taking India towards saffronisation, which might damage the unity of the nation.
“Be it sports, culture or education…it is very unfortunate that saffron politics is being played. It is the tricolour which must be respected first…current government is taking the country towards saffronisation, which will damage the country’s unity,” Khan said.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ram Kadam said the opposition parties were running out of issues to confront the government within Parliament.
“Hence they are politicizing what should be the colour of the Indian team’s jersey…Why not saffron? Why they hate saffron so much? The BJP’s flag has both green and saffron in it. Let the cricketers decide the colour of their jersey. Will the opposition decide that?” he asked.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said since the Opposition parties were staring at defeat in the coming Maharashtra Assembly polls, they were indulging in “childish talk”.
“What problem they have with saffron? Saffron is part of the tricolour and it was chosen for the jersey. What is the problem with that?” she asked.
