A political controversy has erupted in Bihar over the colour scheme of 551 newly launched Model Schools inaugurated by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday.
The state government has upgraded 551 existing schools with modern facilities, including smart classrooms, computer laboratories, libraries and sports infrastructure. It has also renamed them “Saraswati Vidya Niketan (Model Schools)” and painted the school buildings saffron, triggering a political row.
The RJD, Congress, AIMIM and other opposition parties have accused the government of “saffronising” schools and education. They alleged that the government was using public funds to promote its political ideology and attempting to create divisions in society.
Reacting to the issue, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra termed the government’s decision “misguided.”
“A school cannot be identified with the colour saffron. It would have been understandable if the buildings had been painted in the colours of the national tricolour. Our national flag has three colours, and if the schools had reflected those colours, it could have been justified. But painting schools saffron is beyond our understanding,” he said.
He added that the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) would raise the issue across the state.
“Governments come and go. If you saffronise the colours of schools, it will send the wrong message. This is not the right approach,” he said.
AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman said the NDA government in Bihar had failed on every front and was now trying to weaken the sense of brotherhood among the people.
He said governments may be elected through votes, but they function with taxpayers’ money.
“Tax revenue does not belong to any particular caste or community. In a secular country, the government should not promote any particular religion. This government is saffronising schools, which is not a healthy sign for any civilised society,” he said.
Rejecting the opposition’s allegations of saffronisation, Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari defended the government’s decision, saying Bihar’s schools should have idols of Goddess Saraswati and that students should offer prayers to her before beginning their education.
“Unless children worship Goddess Saraswati before acquiring knowledge, how will they gain wisdom? Saffron is the very symbol of Goddess Saraswati,” he said.