Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi said, \u201cWhether they change the uniform or try to rewrite history through the education policy, no matter what they do, the youth of this country have made their views clear. You saw what the young people gathered at Jantar Mantar were saying. That is the voice of the nation.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
She further said that India\u2019s freedom struggle was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIndia's freedom struggle was built on non-violence and truth, and the RSS had no role in it. The whole country knows this reality, and those who did not are now beginning to understand their intentions. The Congress party led that movement under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, and the soul of this country is rooted in non-violence, truth, and brotherhood,\u201d she said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Congress leader asserted that the fundamental values of the nation cannot be erased, regardless of political or ideological efforts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cNo one can remove it. It does not matter what they do, or whether they create violence or spread hate. In the end, the soul of this country is one of brotherhood and unity. No one can take that away,\u201d Priyanka Gandhi added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has criticised Hockey India\u2019s decision to unveil a predominantly orange jersey for the men\u2019s and women\u2019s national teams ahead of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium, saying the move goes against the team's long-standing identity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reacting after the federation revealed the new orange kit for the men's and women's FIH World Cup teams instead of traditional blue kit, Rasquinha said supporters associate the Indian hockey team with its traditional blue colours and questioned the rationale for the change.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Taking to X, Rasquinha first acknowledged the work Hockey India has done for the sport before expressing his disappointment over the jersey. \u201cI must say that @TheHockeyIndia has done many good things for Indian hockey. But this is embarrassing.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The former midfielder, who captained India and represented the country at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 Men's Hockey World Cup, said the blue jersey has always been an inseparable part of the national team's identity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe legacy and identity of the Indian team has always been BLUE. I wore the Blue jersey with pride for many years,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rasquinha also highlighted the emotional connection supporters have with the traditional colours, insisting that the change was difficult to understand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cFans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic of orange?,\u201d Rasquinha questioned.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The remarks came days after Hockey India officially unveiled the new World Cup jersey, replacing the familiar blue base with orange. In a detailed social media video, the federation outlined the symbolism behind every element of the design.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cFans want to see our Indian team in blue. What is the logic of orange?,\u201d Rasquinha questioned.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The design further incorporates Tricolour piping along the shoulders and sides, \"India\" written in stylised Devanagari script, and branding recognising Odisha's long-standing support for Indian hockey. Hockey India said the jersey embodies the spirit of \"Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n