The boundary wall of the office of the Uttar Pradesh Haj Committee was repainted on Saturday, a day after it was coloured saffron, The Indian Express reported. The committee accused the contractor for choosing the wrong colour and said that it was not intentionally done. The wall is now white.
“Secretary of the UP Haj Committee RP Singh has taken immediate cognisance of the matter, and issued directives for its rectification,” the government said in a statement.
The change in colour was criticised by the Samajwadi Party and leaders of the Muslim community, NDTV reported. “What is this? The BJP will paint it saffron, the SP will choose green and the BSP blue,” All India Shia Personal Law Board Spokesperson Yasoob Abbas said. “This is politics of colour and should be avoided.”
Muslim cleric Shahar Qazi Maulana Abul Irfan Miyan Firangimahli asked if the Adityanath government would mandate Haj pilgrims to wear saffron-coloured clothes next.
However, Mohsin Raza, the only Muslim minister in the government, had earlier questioned the critics. “Would they oppose the National Flag too, which has the same colour,” he had asked.
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