Saffron, white and saffron: Kolkata's Academy of Fine Arts becomes ground zero for BJP-Left paint war

The controversy began in the first week of July when a room to the left of the academy's main entrance was painted saffron, a colour associated with the ruling BJP.

BJP state chief opposes saffronisation

Within days, BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya strongly opposed the move and warned against political dominance over cultural spaces.

Speaking to the media on July 12, Bhattacharya said, "This can't happen. We do not support political dominance over culture. If some people are trying to overact as a BJP representative, the party will act appropriately to control them."

Bhattacharya had reportedly assured some theatre personalities that the room's colour would be restored.

Theatre personalities repaint room white

Earlier this week, theatre personalities including Bibhash Chakraborty and Chandan Sen, accompanied by Left leaders including CPI-M's Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, repainted the room white.

The group said they undertook the exercise after Bhattacharya failed to act on his assurance to restore the original colour.

Actor-BJP MLA Rudranil Ghosh leads the repainting and protest. Photo: IBNS 

BJP leaders repaint wall saffron

The controversy escalated again on Wednesday when BJP members, accompanied by actor-MLA Rudranil Ghosh, arrived at the venue and repainted the wall saffron.

Ghosh produced photographs claiming that the original colour of the block had been saffron and brown, and criticised the Left leaders over their involvement in the earlier repainting.

"Saffron is the colour that denotes sacrifice which can't be tolerated by the Left... We will not allow any CPI-M flags and political colour at the Academy of Fine Arts," Ghosh said.

He also claimed that Samik Bhattacharya had been misled about the colour of the room by the group that had sought his intervention.

Samik Bhattacharya says culture should remain apolitical

Samik Bhattacharya reiterated that the BJP opposed political interference in cultural spaces, while accusing the Left of attempting to use the episode to regain relevance.

"Some irrelevant people are trying to become relevant through the Academy. Whatever has happened is a reaction to the action. All of a sudden, the Academy was wrapped by a sea of red flags (Communist flags) following which some people had painted the room saffron," Bhattacharya said.

He acknowledged the delay in ensuring that the original colour was restored, but questioned the presence of Left leaders such as Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya during the repainting.

"The politicisation of the Academy by the Left was completely unnecessary. If that happens, then BJP leaders would also react to it. I firmly believe the Academy should be kept out of politics," said the BJP state chief.

CPI-M warns of another repaint

The CPI-M has hit back at the saffronisation of the Academy room and warned that the wall could be repainted again.

CPI-M leader Dipsita Dhar told the media, "We are not imposing any colour. The colour of the room was not imposed or decided by any politician during the CPI-M or TMC regimes. I suspect the BJP is having an existential crisis. This shows their insecurity."

"Doesn't matter, we will again repaint it white," Dhar added.