Congress Accuses BJP Of ‘Safforanising’ Colleges After New Notice Directs Painting Gates In Orange Colour

Ajmer’s Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan Government College has already painted its entry gate with the colour as per the circular. 

Using saffron colour in educational buildings has long been a controversial subject.

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A notice from Rajasthan’s College Education Department instructing that the gates of all government colleges should be painted orange and white has sparked a political controversy, with the Congress accusing the move of being “saffronisation” of educational institutions. 

According to a report by The Indian Express, the education department said that in the first phase, “2-2 government colleges from every division, the paint of the front facade and entrance hall of a total of 20 colleges should be completed in 7 days at the college level, using White Gold 8292 (Asian Paints) Orange Brown 7974 (Asian Paints)” under the BJP government’s Kayakalp Yojana — a scheme that is meant to improve public healthcare facilities.

Ajmer’s Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan Government College has already painted its entry gate with the colour as per the circular. 

The release said that the “educational environment and scenario of the colleges should be such that the students feel positive as soon as they enter the college”. “Therefore, the colleges have to be rejuvenated to create a positive, clean, healthy and educational environment in the colleges," the release stated, according to an India Today report.

Om Prakash Bairwa, Rajasthan’s College Education Commissioner, the directive was merely “indicative”, and colleges had the freedom to “use other colours if they wish”. He said that “there is no political issue involved in this”.

Reacting to this Congress said that Rajasthan’s BJP government led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma was engaging in “petty politics”. State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra dismissed the government's claim that the order was "merely indicative", reported The Indian Express

Using saffron colour in educational buildings has long been a controversial subject. As per India Today, Vinod Jakhar, state president of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) — Congress’ student wing — said, thousands of lecturer positions are still vacant, there are no buildings in colleges, or benches but the government “is spending public money for politics”.