Picture : ANI/x
Congress has questioned the change of the Indian hockey team’s jersey colour, saying sports and players should not be made a medium for narrow-minded political experiments, and demanded the government reconsider its decision.
In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said this is a matter deeply connected to the sentiments of millions of Indians and our sporting traditions.
The Indian hockey teams, traditionally attired in blue, will be donning saffron kits during the World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium starting August 15. The change in the uniform’s colour was announced on July 27.
“The decision to change the colour of the Indian hockey team’s jersey is not merely a sports-related choice, but a matter deeply connected to the sentiments of millions of Indians and our sporting traditions.
“Indian players have long been recognized around the world by names like ‘Men in Blue’, ‘The Blues’, and ‘The Blue Tigers’. This identity is not just about the colour of the jersey, but a legacy of Indian sports. Today, it is difficult to understand why the need was felt to alter this historic identity. The question is not about any particular colour, but about the process of decision-making, transparency, and respect for public sentiments,” Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
भारतीय हॉकी टीम की जर्सी का रंग बदलने का फैसला केवल एक खेल संबंधी निर्णय नहीं है, बल्कि करोड़ों भारतीयों की भावनाओं और हमारी खेल परंपरा से जुड़ा विषय है।
भारतीय खिलाड़ी वर्षों से दुनिया भर में “Men in Blue” और “The Blues” “ The Blue Tigers” के नाम से पहचाने जाते रहे हैं। यह…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 1, 2026
He said this government has changed the colour – sometimes on road pavements, sometimes in the attire of Parliament employees, sometimes on the Doordarshan logo, and now in players’ jerseys – without broad public consensus.
“National symbols, sports, and players should not be made a medium for narrow-minded political experiments. The government and relevant institutions should immediately reconsider this decision and clarify how such an important decision was taken without the knowledge and consent of Hockey India’s Executive Board,” Kharge also said.
He said saffron, white, and green are all three colours in our tricolor, and they also hold an honourable place in the flag of the Indian National Congress.
“It is unfortunate that those whose ideological tradition made no contribution to the freedom movement are now seen in a haste to leave their ideological imprint on every national symbol and every public institution. History knows that the RSS had staunchly opposed the tricolor, and Sardar Patel had even warned them,” the Congress chief said.
