Topi politics: Colour is all that matters

SHIMLA: With the assembly elections round the corner in Himachal Pradesh, traditional “topi” (cap) has assumed significance again.

On Tuesday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of All India Institute of medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bilaspur, chief minister Virbhadra Singh greeted him with a green cap and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) presented him with a maroon cap.

While the maroon cap is associated with the BJP, the green, also known as Bushahri cap, is the trademark of the Congress. Chief minister Virbhadra and his loyalists are always seen wearing the green cap and the maroon one gained popularity when senior BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal took over the reins in Himachal in 1998.

Even after the change of guard in the state, from the Congress BJP and vice versa, colour preferences of caps change. Leaders, bureaucrats and people are seen wearing the cap associated with the ruling party.

With electioneering in Himachal gradually picking up, the sale of traditional caps has also gone up last few days. “While those living in upper Shimla areas prefer green caps, those belonging to the lower belts of the state go for maroon caps,” said Gopal Thakur, who sells traditional “topis” in Shimla’s busy Lakkar Bazaar area. “It is the best way for the people to define their political lineage,” he said.

While Virbhadra, who will be in-charge of Congress campaign in Himachal, denounces associating the cap colour to political lineage, he recently left state health minister Kaul Singh Thakur redfaced when he (Thakur) presented him with a maroon cap. The CM refused to accept it and instead preferred to wear his green cap. The BJP slammed Virbhadra saying that he “insulted the Himachali cap”.

On his recent visit to Israel, PM Modi donned a maroon Himachali cap, giving a boost for BJP workers in the state. Other BJP leaders, including Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, his Chhattisgarh counterpart Raman Singh and Union textiles minister Samriti Irani, have been seen wearing the maroon Himachali caps in “Parivartan” rallies of the party.

WHILE CM GREETS MODI WITH A GREEN CAP, STATE BJP PRESENTS HIM A MAROON CAP