NDMC areas get saffron shade, Cong workers take to streets

Congress workers took to streets on Wednesday against the colouring of government houses, footpaths and road dividers in “BJP colours” in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area as a part of the cleanliness drive.

Demonstrators claimed this was saffronising the NDMC area, and burnt effigies of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh around 4 pm. They threatened to paint the streets white if the “saffronisation” of streets was not stopped.     

The demonstration was led by Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress president Amit Malik and NSUI president Vikas Chikara.  

Addressing the protesters at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) office, DPCC chief Arvinder Singh said the NDMC area was being painted in saffron colours despite objection from Delhi traffic police. According to international law, if such colours are used to paint streets and footpaths, it would result in fatal accidents, they noted. This colour code was in violation of the law and the Congress condemned saffronisation of the NDMC streets at the behest of Singh, he said.

Agitators assembled at the DPCC office and started walking towards Singh’s residence. However, they were stopped at the ITO crossing which led to clashes with the police. Throughout the agitation, they shouted slogans like “BJP have shame, stop saffronisation of government property.”