The boundary wall of the UP Haj Committee office building has got its old shade back, a day after the saffron colour painted on its structure drew flak.
The BJP-led state government on Saturday went into damage control mode and admitted “laxity” on part of the contractor tasked with the job.
“Secretary of the UP Haj Committee RP Singh has taken immediate cognisance of the matter, and issued directives for its rectification,” a statement issued by the government said.
There was laxity by the contractor in the painting and maintenance work of the UP Haj Committee office. On inspecting the boundary wall of the office, it was found that there has been laxity, and a dark shade of paint has been used contrary to the instructions issued. Further painting of the boundary wall has been stopped, and instructions have been issued to officials that painting and maintenance of the boundary wall should be done as per directives.RP Singh
He also ordered that action be initiated against the erring contractor.
Flak After Painting Job
The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had, on Friday, came under heavy fire from social groups and opposition parties in the state after the peripheral wall of the UP Haj Committee office was painted in saffron, a colour mostly associated with Hinduism and especially with the Sangh Parivar of which the ruling BJP is a part. The boundary wall of the office facing the state Assembly building had always worn a green and white colour in the past.
The work was done by the UP estates department late on Thursday night. The Haj office staff was not immediately available for a reaction, since Friday is a holiday.
The move prompted the Opposition Samajwadi Party to accuse the BJP government of indulging in “blatant saffronisation”.
The BJP is a party known for changing colours. It is indulging in these antics only to hide its faults and failures. If the BJP really considers the saffron colour as sacrosanct, it should not indulge in politicisation of the colour and indulge in blatant saffronisation.Sunil Singh Sajan, SP spokesperson
All India Shia Personal Law Board spokesperson Yasoob Abbas also took strong exception to the change in colour.
What is this? The BJP will paint it saffron, the SP will choose green and the BSP blue…This is politics of colour and should be avoided.
Saffron Synonymous With Positivity: Mohsin Raza
The lone Muslim minister in the UP government, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mohsin Raza, had said on Friday:
I fail to understand the problem of those having issues with the new colour. Is saffron an anti-national colour? Saffron is a colour which symbolises ‘ujala’ (brightness) and ‘urja’ (energy). When the first rays of the Sun fall on the Earth, it comes with saffron light. Saffron is a colour which is synonymous with positivity. It is a gift of God. I think those who are against the usage of saffron colour on the (boundary) wall of the UP Haj committee office may also object to saffron on the national tricolour. This is peculiar politics. After all, only the outer wall of the government office has been painted and not the building or any personal property of any individual.
The seat of power, the Annexe where the Chief Minister's Office is located, was recently painted in saffron and not long ago, Afzalgarh Police Station in Bijnore was pained completely in saffron, apart from many schools also being painted bright saffron.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
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