A fresh coat of saffron paint across all 551 government-run model schools in Bihar has triggered a political row that has spilled even inside the ruling alliance. Both opposition parties and JDU, an ally of the BJP, have pushed back against the move, while state education minister Mithilesh Tiwari has offered his own explanation for the colour choice.
The Minister's Explanation
As criticism mounted, education minister Mithilesh Tiwari stepped in to defend the decision. "Goddess Saraswati's colour is also saffron, that is why the schools have been painted saffron," he said. His remark, however, has done little to cool the political temperature around the issue.
JDU Raises Its Own Objection
JDU spokesperson Neeraj Kumar directly questioned the government's move despite his party being part of the ruling coalition. "Changing the colour does not guarantee the right to education," he said. According to Kumar, what actually matters is whether children receive good, quality education, not the paint on the walls. He further pointed out that when the names of people who had donated their land to help build these schools get pushed further down on commemorative plaques, it becomes a matter of respect for those ancestors. Opposition parties have gone further, calling the entire exercise the start of the saffronisation of education.
No Fixed Colour Rule Existed Earlier
Notably, there was no official rule earlier dictating what colour these school buildings should be painted. Depending on the building, schools were seen in yellow, pink or sky blue, and the choice was left entirely to the discretion of the headmaster or headmistress. Most schools, in practice, ended up painted pink. Earlier, schools also bore the cost of the paint job from their own funds; now the education department itself is directly funding and overseeing the repainting.
What The New Order Actually Says
Under the department's latest instructions, aimed at giving all these modern schools a uniform look, the outer walls are being painted saffron. Inside, classroom walls are to remain white, while the main gate is to be painted in a light yellow or golden shade. Alongside the new colour scheme, the schools have also been given a new identity altogether, every one of them has now been renamed "Saraswati Vidya Niketan."
The Renaming Sparks Its Own Controversy
Beyond the paint, the renaming itself has become a fresh flashpoint. The opposition continues to target the government over it. Separately, families who once donated their own land so a school could be built, and who had the school named after them in gratitude, are unhappy with the change too. The government maintains that these names have not actually been removed, "Saraswati Vidya Niketan" has simply been added before them. Model schools for classes 9 to 12 across Bihar now carry the Saraswati Vidya Niketan name, and the scheme was formally launched by Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary at an event held in Begusarai.
