Two wheels, too many colours: The cycle of political fights in Indian states

In India, even something as simple as the colour of a bicycle can stir up a storm in politics. Recently, Rajasthan's Education Minister, Madan Dilawar, made headlines by announcing that the bicycles distributed to schoolgirls will switch from black to saffron.

Dilawar explained that there’s no special reason behind changing the colour of the bicycles. However, he pointed out that during the previous BJP government in Rajasthan, the bicycles were saffron. When the Congress came to power, they changed the colour to black. Dilawar emphasised that saffron is a symbol of valour and bravery, recalling that patriots wore this colour during India’s independence movement. "With this thought in mind, we have decided to change the colour to saffron," he said.

The free bicycle scheme in Rajasthan started in 2009 to help girls stay in school, as many drop out in Class 9 due to transportation issues. Over 7 lakh girls are eligible for these bicycles, and the government also provides a travel allowance to those living within three to five kilometres of their school.


This isn’t the first time bicycles have been at the centre of political controversy. Back in 2018, Tamil Nadu's AIADMK government faced criticism for distributing bicycles in Villupuram district that had logos from Karnataka’s free cycle scheme. Parents were upset, accusing the government of giving their children substandard bicycles that were rejected by the neighbouring state. About 6,600 bicycles were distributed to students in the Tindivanam education block, with Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam overseeing the distribution at several schools.

West Bengal has also seen its share of bicycle-related political drama. The state's "Sabuj Sathi" scheme, which provides bicycles to students, has been accused of mismanagement and favouritism by opposition parties. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been at the centre of these accusations, with critics claiming that the scheme is being used to gain political advantage.

In many cases, TMC and BJP supporters have gotten into physical fights over this bicycle scheme, and the CPI(M) has also joined in at times.

Inputs from Agencies