Former Hockey Captain and RJD MP Warn Against Saffron Jersey Move

New Delhi – The announcement by Hockey India that the men's national team will don a saffron jersey instead of its classic blue sparked sharp criticism from opposition voices on July 30. Former captain Viren Rasquinha expressed alarm, asking why a colour change was necessary and whether it was meant to politicise sport.

RJD MP Sudhakar Singh took the issue to the floor of the Lok Sabha, branding the ruling party "intellectually bankrupt" and suggesting that if such reasoning continues, policymakers might even attempt to repaint green trees in saffron.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the chorus, targeting both the Union government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. She argued that changing a uniform’s hue or altering school textbooks cannot modify the country's historic identity. Gandhi Vadra highlighted the chants heard at Jantar Mantar as proof that Indian youth remain vigilant.

She reaffirmed that India’s independence was achieved through truth and non‑violence, with no involvement from the RSS, and that the nation's soul rests on those principles. No external force, she warned, can diminish that spirit.

Gandhi Vadra also raised a separate query, pressing the administration to explain the source of pellet‑like objects found on a young man presented by Rahul Gandhi in front of the media.

While Hockey India defended the saffron kit as a tribute to the tricolour and a move to improve visibility, former players and supporters continue to question the decision, fearing it may set a precedent for further politicisation of sports symbols.