Kolkata/IBNS, Aug. 13 -- A paint war has erupted at Kolkata's Academy of Fine Arts after a room on the premises was painted saffron, two months after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in West Bengal for the first time.

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.

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

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

Earlier this week, theatre personalities including Bibhash Chakraborty and Chandan Sen, accompanied by ...