By Kavita Sharma
Photo Credit: The Suncity News
Patna, July 20, 2026: A political controversy has intensified in Bihar over the colour scheme of the state’s newly inaugurated 551 Saraswati Vidya Niketan model schools, with the opposition accusing the government of “ saffronising” education while the ruling alliance has strongly defended the decision.
The controversy surfaced after the inauguration of the model schools by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday.
The schools have been developed with modern facilities, including smart classrooms, computer laboratories, libraries, sports infrastructure, and digital learning systems, but the saffron-dominated exterior has become the centre of a political debate.
Education minister defends government over model schools:
Responding to the criticism while arriving for the Bihar Legislature’s monsoon session, Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari dismissed the allegations, asserting that the government would not convert model schools into “Charwaha Vidyalayas” simply because the opposition demanded it.
He said saffron represents prosperity and is also one of the colours of the Indian National Flag.
According to him, colours should not be viewed through a political lens.
The minister further said that Goddess Saraswati, whose idols are being installed in the schools, symbolizes knowledge, and students traditionally seek her blessings before beginning their studies.
He argued that the government’s objective was that the same political forces which had earlier objected to religious texts were now objecting to the colour saffron.
He claimed the government had introduced a modern, technology-driven education system benefiting students from every section of society, including live digital teaching facilities.
Opposition calls it saffronisation:
The opposition, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and supported by Congress and AIMIM, has accused the government of politicizing education.
RJD MLA Bhai Virendra described the decision as a flawed government policy, arguing that model schools should not be painted saffron.
He said using the colours of the national tricolor would have been acceptable, but colouring educational institutions predominantly saffron sends the wrong message.
He said the Mahagathbandhan would raise the issue across Bihar and accused the Education Minister of acting irresponsibly.
Bhai Virendra also warned the minister against acting “rashly,” claiming the opposition possessed a “dossier” regarding his activities.
AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman also criticized the government, alleging that instead of addressing unemployment and development, it was attempting to promote religious politics.
He argued that government institutions are funded by taxpayers and should remain neutral in a secular democracy.
According to Iman, public money should not be used to promote any religious identity, and educational institutions should remain free from political or ideological symbolism.
The controversy has become one of the first major confrontations of the Bihar Legislature’s monsoon session.
While the opposition has accused the government of attempting to “saffronize” education through publicly funded institutions, the ruling alliance maintains that the issue has been unnecessarily politicized and insists that its focus remains on strengthening Bihar’s education system through modern infrastructure and digital learning initiatives.
Also Read: Shikhar Dhawan foundation expends Digital Shiksha initiative across 10 Delhi government schools.
EOM.
