Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Saffron-White-Saffron: Colour Row Hits Kolkata Academy of Fine Arts
A big argument happened in Kolkata, India, over the color of paint on a famous art building.
The Academy of Fine Arts is a very old and important place for art and culture.
Some people painted part of its wall white, and the next day others painted it saffron, a bright orange color.
Saffron is a color tied to political identity in India, so the paint became a big deal.
Art lovers and theatre workers were upset that the building was painted saffron.
They believe this historic cultural space should not become a political symbol.
A BJP leader at the scene showed an old photo to argue the wall's original color was saffron and chocolate.
A CPI leader called the BJP communal for forcing the color.
A minister said saffron is part of India's national flag, so there is no problem with it.
But a Trinamool leader said painting the building saffron was not needed at all.
A portion of Kolkata's Academy of Fine Arts was repainted saffron in the presence of BJP MLA Rudranil Ghosh, a day after being whitewashed by theatre workers.
After the BJP came to power in Bengal, the Academy's ticket counter wall had been changed to saffron, prompting eminent theatre activists to write to BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the act, saying changing colours of buildings did not fall in the party's agenda.
Rudranil Ghosh displayed an old photograph to claim the counter's original colour was saffron and chocolate and alleged the white painters were active CPI(M) workers; CPI leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya called the BJP communal.
Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar said saffron is part of the national flag and there is no issue with saffronisation, while Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh said painting the heritage institute saffron was not needed at all.
- Who
- BJP MLA Rudranil Ghosh, CPI leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya, Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, Trinamool MLA Kunal Ghosh, and theatre workers and activists.
- What
- A political clash over repainting the ticket counter wall of the Academy of Fine Arts saffron, one day after theatre workers whitewashed it.
- When
- Wednesday, one day after the wall was whitewashed on Tuesday.
- Where
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
- Why
- Competing claims about the wall's original colour and a struggle over political symbolism and identity in a historic cultural space.
Critics of the saffron paint
Defenders of the saffron paint
Meaning of the saffron colour
Critics of the saffron paint
Painting a historic, Left-leaning cultural institution saffron imposes a communal and political identity on it and was not needed.
Defenders of the saffron paint
Saffron is part of the national flag, and an old photograph shows the ticket counter's original colour was saffron and chocolate, so there is no issue.
Who was responsible
Critics of the saffron paint
Theatre workers and activists whitewashed the wall to restore the institute's identity and protect it from being dragged into political symbolism.
Defenders of the saffron paint
Those who painted the wall white were active CPI(M) workers, and the working committee is harassing the Board of Trustees amid alleged corruption.
Party involvement
Critics of the saffron paint
While Trinamool was in power, the building was never coloured blue and white; the BJP is a communal party that forces its mindset on others.
Defenders of the saffron paint
Changing colours of buildings does not fall in the BJP's agenda, and the state president condemned the act of painting.
- Institute
- Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata
- Established
- 1933
- Founder
- Lady Ranu Mukherjee
- Incident
- Ticket counter wall repainted saffron a day after being whitewashed
- BJP MLA present
- Rudranil Ghosh
- BJP state president
- Samik Bhattacharya
- CPI leader
- Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya
- When
- Whitewashing on Tuesday; saffron repainting on Wednesday