Congress criticises RSS over saffron hockey jersey change, defends Men in Blue identity

Congress on Saturday criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over a move to change the Indian hockey team's jersey colour to saffron and reiterated support for the traditional ‘Men in Blue’ identity. "The decision to change the colour of the Indian hockey team's jersey is not merely a sports-related choice, but a matter deeply connected to the sentiments of millions of Indians and our sporting traditions," the party said.

The comment from Congress, issued on August 1, 2026, framed the proposed alteration as more than an aesthetic decision and positioned the party in defence of the established national hockey colours. The statement targeted the RSS for advocating what Congress portrayed as a politicised shift in team apparel. By voicing support for the Men in Blue label, the party signalled its preference for continuity in the sport’s visual identity.

Congress maintained that altering the jersey hue would carry symbolic weight beyond the playing field. The party argued the change touched on collective feelings and longstanding sporting customs, presenting the choice as significant to large numbers of people. That line underpinned the criticism directed at the RSS and reinforced the party’s stance in favour of retaining the existing colour scheme associated with the national side.

In setting out its objections, Congress framed the jersey discussion explicitly as involving cultural and emotional considerations rather than simple kit design. The wording of the party’s statement emphasised the breadth of sentiment it said was implicated by the proposed change. The Men in Blue identity was referenced as the emblematic representation that the party sought to preserve.

The exchange over the jersey colour thus became a focal point for a wider conversation, at least in the terms used by the political actors involved. Congress’s remarks were presented as a defence of sporting tradition, while singling out the RSS for responsibility for the proposed alteration. The statement reiterated the party’s position without offering technical details about the implementation or timing of any kit change.

By publicly opposing the shift and endorsing the established Men in Blue label, Congress clarified its position on the issue raised on August 1, 2026. The party’s declaration made its objection explicit and underlined its call to maintain the traditional national hockey colours.