Adityanath govt paints the wall of UP Haj office saffron
LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanathled Bharatiya Janata Party government has painted the outer wall of the Uttar Pradesh State Haj Committee office in saffron, in a move that could trigger a fresh controversy in the state.
The wall of the office located near the BJP headquarters and the chief minister’s secretariat Lok Bhavan has been painted in two shades of saffron but the main building remains white.
State Haj minister Mohsin Raza, who often wears a saffron waistcoat, said there was “no need for any controversy”. “Saffron is a bright, energetic colour. It has made the building even more beautiful. The Opposition has no big issues ag- ainst us so they keep raising inconsequential matters,” Raza said.
The office facilitates the pilgrimage to Mecca by making various arrangements, checking documents and providing a training programme for the pilgrims from the state. Earlier in September, the state government painted the secretariat annexe building (Shastri Bhawan) in shades of saffron and also launched a rural bus service with a saffron-coloured fleet.
“Any particular colour has no significance in Islam. All colours are beautiful,” Athar Hussain, director of Lucknow’s Centre for Objective Research and Development, said.
CENTRE TOLD TO REPLY
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre’s response on the Kerala Haj Committee’s plea, alleging that the policy to grant state-wise quota for Haj pilgrims was discriminatory. A bench asked the Centre to file its response on the plea within two weeks and posted the petition for hearing on January 30.