Bhubaneswar: Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik has strongly criticised the reported change in the Indian hockey team’s jersey colour, alleging that the move was influenced by the BJP government in Odisha and amounted to politicising the country’s national sport.
In a post on social media platform X, Patnaik described the Indian hockey team’s iconic blue jersey as a symbol of the nation’s sporting identity and an emotion shared by millions of Indians. He said the colour blue, inspired by the Ashoka Chakra in the national flag, represents national pride and should remain an integral part of Indian hockey.
Recalling Odisha’s long-standing contribution to the sport, Patnaik said the state became the first in the country to sponsor both the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams when they struggled to find corporate support. He added that every Odia takes pride in the state’s role in reviving Indian hockey, which coincided with the men’s historic Olympic bronze medal after a 41-year gap.
Targeting the BJP, the former Chief Minister alleged that a change in the state government should not alter the identity of the national team. Calling it “petty politics of the worst kind,” he claimed that the reported jersey change reflected an attempt to extend political influence into sports.
Patnaik also compared India’s blue hockey jersey with globally recognised sporting identities such as Argentina’s blue-and-white football jersey and Brazil’s iconic yellow jersey, arguing that changing such colours would dilute a rich sporting legacy.
He further alleged that the Odisha government had already changed the colours of public buildings, buses and bridges over the past two years and claimed the same approach was now being applied to Indian hockey.
Condemning the reported move, Patnaik said it had hurt the sentiments of hockey lovers across the country and undermined the pride with which Odisha has supported the national hockey teams for years.