Thakur bids adieu to ‘divisive’ cap politics

Tribune News Service

Solan, February 25

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said he had bid adieu to the divisive cap culture in Himachal which signified a regional political divide between the people of the upper and lower Himachal in the Congress regime.

He said in Himachal, political loyalties were known by the colour of the caps they adorned. In an apparent reference to the former Congress Chief Minister, he said his supporters wore green band caps and were considered as having Congress ideology whereas the BJP leaders and supporters adorned a maroon band cap. Over the years, these two colours have been signifying specific political alignments, which instead of uniting the people, had in fact led to a regional divide.

The Chief Minister said as a departure from this unhealthy tradition, he had stopped wearing a cap so as to put an end to politicising the cap culture. He said the caps were an inseparable part of the state’s culture and they should not be used as a means of creating a regional divide between the Upper and Lower Himachal as was the case during the Congress regime.

The CM was earlier accorded a rousing welcome by the BJP’s Solan unit at Kandaghat and Solan during his first visit to the town.

While addressing a gathering at Circuit House, he said time had come to bid adieu to the cap politics in the state.

He said, “The days of those serving for an individual and not the government were over. The past is not to be recalled as whatever had happened in the tenure of the previous government was the worst period of intolerance and vendetta politics. My government has no place for vendetta but those who failed to discharge their duties in the rightful way won’t be spared.”

The Chief Minister said the present BJP government would work for the overall development of the state and welfare of the people not for five years but for the next 20 years.

The Chief Minister said his intent was to rope in BJP leaders, who had left the party. This was visible when a former BJP minister Mahinder Nath Sofat was given a seat in the front row with him. Sofat, who was a Shanta loyalist, had left the party more than a decade ago after being denied a party ticket in 2000. While his presence signals his comeback to the party, it remains to be seen how he would be adjusted in the present setup.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr Rajeev Saizal earlier welcomed the Chief Minister at Solan.

Others present on the occasion included Purshottam Guleria, vice-president, Khadi and Village Industries Board, Shimla MP Virender Kashyap, MLA Paramjeet Singh, Chairperson, State Women’s Commission Dr Daisy Thakur, Acting district BJP president, Pawan Gupta and other BJP leaders.

Green, maroon band caps 

• In reference to Congress ex-CM, Jai Ram Thakur said his supporters wore green band caps and were considered as having Congress ideology
• BJP leaders and supporters adorned a maroon band cap
• Over the years, these two colours have been signifying specific political alignments which instead of uniting the people had led to regional divide

Will rope in those who left party: CM 

The CM said his intent was to rope in BJP leaders, who had left the party. This was visible when a former BJP minister Mahinder Nath Sofat was given a seat in the front row with him. Sofat, who was a Shanta loyalist, had left the party more than a decade ago