Hockey India's Jersey Row: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Thursday criticised the Indian hockey team's jersey change from blue to saffron, linking the move to a larger conspiracy to rewrite the country's history.

Speaking to reporters during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Vadra said the country's identity is rooted in non-violence, truth, and brotherhood, and these values cannot be taken away. The government's true intentions have been exposed, she added.

Her comments came after Hockey India released new jerseys for the senior men's and women's teams on July 27, ahead of the upcoming FIH Men's and Women's Hockey World Cups.

They Are Attempting To Rewrite History: Priyanka

The Congress MP said, "Whether they change uniforms or try to rewrite history through education policy, whatever they do. You've seen what our country's youth think about this. You heard what the youth gathered at Jantar Mantar were saying. This is the voice of the nation."

The country's freedom struggle was based on non-violence and truth, she said, adding that the RSS had no role in it.

'The Country's Core Values Cannot Be Changed'

She said that the Congress led the freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and stressed that the country's core values cannot be changed.

She further said, "No matter how much they divide, incite violence, or spread hatred, the soul of the country, built on brotherhood, mutual love, and unity, remains intact. They cannot take it away."

Hockey India Defends Move

On the other hand, Hockey India said the design and colour of the jersey is meant to "tell a story" and carry "India's pride" and was finalised after consultations with players and support staff. HI said saffron symbolises courage, sacrifice and victory.

"It was observed that the blue playing uniform tended to blend/merge with the blue synthetic playing surface, which is now the standard colour of international hockey pitches. This visual similarity affected on-field clarity and visibility for the players," Hockey India said in a statement.

Former captain Viren Rasquinha questioned the logic behind the move. Rasquinha said unveiled uniform looks "embarrassing". "I must say that @TheHockeyIndia has done many good things for... But this is embarrassing. The legacy & identity of the Indian team has always been BLUE. I wore the Blue jersey with pride for many years. Fans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic of orange?," Rasquinha, who is also the CEO of sports foundation Olympic Gold Quest, wrote on 'X'.

(With PTI/Jagran.com inputs)