Do not politicise school uniform issue: West Bengal minister to opposition

The issue of introducing a common uniform for all state-run schools of West Bengal was raised in the assembly on Tuesday, as Education Minister Bratya Basu urged the opposition parties not to politicise it.

West Bengal Budget 2022: The government of West Bengal has proposed the idea of all government and government-aided schools of West Bengal to have a common uniform in blue and white color scheme, and the dress will feature the 'Biswa Bangla' logo of the state government. The issue of introducing a common uniform for all state-run schools of West Bengal was raised in the assembly on Tuesday, as Education Minister Bratya Basu urged the opposition parties not to politicise it.

What is the need of changing of existing uniform policy?

Currently, each school has its independent unique color-coded uniform. While answering a question raised by opposition BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh on the real need to change the existing uniform policy as it would go against heritage, Basu said, "The state police had red caps (as part of its uniform) once, but that was discontinued over time."

Those who are flagging the uniform issue in West Bengal must think about what BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam had done, the education minister added.

The minister further said that the state government of Gujarat introduced Khaki pants for school children in 2021. In Uttar Pradesh and Assam, the state governments affected a change in the uniform color code last year in the schools run by them. So we must check the facts," he said.

Basu admitted that the state government is thinking about blue and white color code for school uniforms on which there will be the 'Biswa Bangla' logo.

"Instead of going for the khaki color code as introduced in Gujarat, our government will go for a different color pattern for our students. We are not going for Khaki, which is the color code of the uniform of a Hindutva organisation. We are not choosing khaki which reminds us of the Nazi rule in Hitler's Germany," he said.

Khaki shorts were part of the RSS uniform for 90 years until 2016 when the ideological parent of the BJP replaced it with dark brown trousers.

"We chose the color that reflects progress, development and inclusiveness of Bengal," Basu said.

Basu said the presence of the Biswa Bangla logo on every school dress is "aimed at making every student part of the initiative to project Bengal globally, to make Bengal a known global brand which was being successfully carried out by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee."

The minister further asked the opposition members to support the state government instead of criticising it as the move is aimed at bolstering the 'Bengali asmita' as they also belong to West Bengal.

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