With political loyalties virtually divided in Himachal Pradesh on the basis of "Green" and "Maroon" caps, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday sought an end to the practice and asked people, especially Government functionaries, to stop wearing political loyalties on their heads, literally.
Ending decades of practice that his predecessors promoted, he said at a public meeting in Solan that the time has come to bid farewell to cap politics in the state.
A common practice is that if your cap is maroon in front, then you must be a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter. And if it's green, then you are with the Congress.
The concepts of "green" and "maroon" stem from upper and lower areas of the state. The green symbolises descendants of upper Himachal, while the maroon represents lower Himachal.
It started with six-time Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who loves to don a green flap headgear almost throughout the year. His supporters too prefer to wear this colour of cap to express their political solidarity with him.
likewise, BJP leader and two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has made the maroon flap his trademark.
Thakur, who did not wear the trademark maroon flap cap of the BJP at the oath taking ceremony on December 27, said he would not indulge in cap politics as he himself stopped wearing it.
Putting an end to cap politics without naming his predecessor Dhumal, he said "he prefers the caps as they are inseparable part of Himachali culture but not as a symbol of regional divide of upper and lower Himachal as considered during the previous Congress regime".
Thakur said that the days of those serving for an individual and not for the government were over. The past is not to be recalled, he said as whatever had happened in previous Government was the worst period of intolerance and vendetta politics adding that his government has no place for vendetta but those who would be wrong anywhere while discharging their duties won't be spared.
The Chief Minister said that government of tired and retired was no more as the present BJP government would work overall development of the State and welfare of people not for five years but for next 20 years.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Rajeev Saizal, while speaking on the occasion welcomed the Chief Minister and focused his speech on exploitation of tourism potential in the State.