Saffron Paint For Karnataka Government School Classrooms Sparks Row

A decision by the Karnataka government to paint classrooms in government schools with saffron has led to a huge controversy in the state with opposition parties accusing the ruling BJP of trying to saffronise the education system. The BJP hit back, saying that the school classrooms will be constructed in honour of Swami Vivekananda, who wore a saffron robe, and hence the decision on the colour.

Viveka, the new government classrooms scheme, was launched in Kalaburgi district, some 600 kms from capital Bengaluru, on the occasion of Children's Day today.

Under the scheme,  the state government plans to build around 8,000 classrooms in government schools across the state. It is, however, the saffron colour of the classrooms that has become the new flashpoint between the ruling BJP and the opposition.

"The government schools and colleges are run by taxpayers' money and the education minister has no business to confine it to one religion. He's trying to polarise and communalise the education in the state that is not acceptable," Congress leader BK Hariprasad said.

The BJP accused the opposition of playing "politics over everything"

"There is saffron colour in our National Flag. Why they are angry on the saffron colour? The school buildings are constructed in the name of Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda was a monk. He wore saffron robes. The word Viveka means knowledge for one and all. Let them learn," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

BC Nagesh, the minister for Primary and Secondary Education also maintained that the government had no role to play in it.

"The state government does not get into things like the colour of walls or windows. Such decisions are left to the architects. We have chosen the colour as the architects suggested it," he said.

The BJP leader said that the opposition was trying to politicise the issue as their voter base is eroding due to massive support for the BJP government. "They seem to be allergic to the colour saffron. They oppose it where ever it can be seen. I ask them why do you not oppose the flag as it has saffron too? I ask them why do you not apply the colour green everywhere and remove saffron," he said.

This is the second time in months that the government has been accused of attempting to saffronise the education system. In June, the government had introduced a chapter on RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in textbooks by dropping chapters by eminent writers.

Despite allegations of disregard to eminent litterateurs and historic personalities, Mr Bommai has made it clear that the government will not remove the lesson on Hedgewar.