As the entire country is getting ready for the grand finale of Cricket World Cup 2023 on 19th November in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium against Australia, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has some other cricket related concerns. On 17th November, Mamata Banerjee attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and blamed it for the ‘saffronisation’ of Team India.
The West Bengal CM alleged that the ruling party has turned “everything to saffron” and presented the example of the jersey of the Indian cricket team. The All India Trinamool Congress supremo argued, “Now everything is turning saffron. We are proud of our Indian players and I believe they will be the world champions. But even their dress has been turned to saffron when they practice. They used to wear blue earlier.” Mamata Banerjee was speaking during the inauguration of Jagadhatri Puja at Posta Bazar in central Kolkata.
She accused the BJP of “trying to paint the entire country saffron” and added that the party brought in saffron colours in the Indian cricketing side as well. “Our boys now practice in saffron-coloured jerseys. The players put up a fight to wear their blue outfits. The Metro stations have been painted saffron. This is unacceptable.” Notably, the match outfit for Team India is blue in colour and they practice in orange jersey.
Mamata Banerjee further said, “I work. They advertise. After my father and mother passed away, some people approached me. They wanted to name some institutes in my late parents’ name. I refused. I told them that they would have never wanted it.”
“I have never seen anything like this. Have you seen the metro stations that are coming up in Kolkata,” the TMC leader asked and added, “All are coloured saffron. I have seen Mayawati installing statues of herself. Now it is happening everywhere in the name of namaste. This cannot go on.”
The BJP reacted sharply to the statements issued by Mamata Banerjee and termed them as a ‘reflection of a vindictive approach.’ West Bengal BJP leader Rahul Sinha asserted, “After a few days, she might question why our national flag has saffron colour in it. We don’t deem it fit even to react to such statements.”
Notably, Indian cricket team is set to face Australia in the World Cup final on 19th November in Ahmedabad having recorded a perfect 10 out of 10 win record so far in the tournament.
