NEW DELHI: Reacting to concerns raised by former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha over India's traditional blue jersey allegedly being replaced by orange ones, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that no matter what changes are made, the youth of the country have already made their views clear.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Whether they change the uniform or try to rewrite history through the education policy, no matter what they do, the youth of this country have made their views clear. You saw what the young people gathered at Jantar Mantar were saying. That is the voice of the nation.”
She further said that India’s freedom struggle was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth.
“India's freedom struggle was built on non-violence and truth, and the RSS had no role in it. The whole country knows this reality, and those who did not are now beginning to understand their intentions. The Congress party led that movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, and the soul of this country is rooted in non-violence, truth, and brotherhood,” she said.
The Congress leader asserted that the fundamental values of the nation cannot be erased, regardless of political or ideological efforts.
“No one can remove it. It does not matter what they do, or whether they create violence or spread hate. In the end, the soul of this country is one of brotherhood and unity. No one can take that away,” Priyanka Gandhi added.
Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has criticised Hockey India’s decision to unveil a predominantly orange jersey for the men’s and women’s national teams ahead of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, saying the move goes against the team's long-standing identity.
Reacting after the federation revealed the new orange kit for the men's and women's FIH World Cup teams instead of traditional blue kit, Rasquinha said supporters associate the Indian hockey team with its traditional blue colours and questioned the rationale for the change.
Taking to X, Rasquinha first acknowledged the work Hockey India has done for the sport before expressing his disappointment over the jersey. “I must say that @TheHockeyIndia has done many good things for Indian hockey. But this is embarrassing."
The former midfielder, who captained India and represented the country at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 Men's Hockey World Cup, said the blue jersey has always been an inseparable part of the national team's identity.
“The legacy and identity of the Indian team has always been BLUE. I wore the Blue jersey with pride for many years,” he added.
Rasquinha also highlighted the emotional connection supporters have with the traditional colours, insisting that the change was difficult to understand.
“Fans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic of orange?,” Rasquinha questioned.
The remarks came days after Hockey India officially unveiled the new World Cup jersey, replacing the familiar blue base with orange. In a detailed social media video, the federation outlined the symbolism behind every element of the design.
According to Hockey India, the saffron colour represents "courage, sacrifice and victory" and draws inspiration from the Indian national flag and the rising sun to signify new beginnings. The jersey also features mandala-inspired patterns celebrating India's cultural heritage, deep navy blue accents inspired by the Ashoka Chakra to represent progress, peace and focus, and a modern interpretation of the Sudarshan Chakra on the chest symbolising strength, unity and momentum.
The design further incorporates Tricolour piping along the shoulders and sides, "India" written in stylised Devanagari script, and branding recognising Odisha's long-standing support for Indian hockey. Hockey India said the jersey embodies the spirit of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat."
