Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Eid celebrations

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, serving his third term as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh appeared to break with tradition on Eid-ul-Fitr today. Mr Chouhan, 55, usually wears a skull cap while addressing Muslims on the festival.Today, on a stage set up at a large public park near a mosque, where thousands of Muslims had come to offer their prayers, the senior BJP leader was gifted a skull cap by a young boy. Mr Chouhan did not wear the cap; instead, he placed it on the child's head. When asked by a journalist about why he did not wear the cap, he smiled and responded, "What sort of question is this?""I wish everyone a very Happy Eid. This is a festival of brotherhood, peace and love," he said to the large audience.Muslims make up six percent of Madhya Pradesh's population.

Last year, actor Raza Murad who had shared the stage with Mr Chouhan who wore a skull cap, had said "other BJP chief ministers" should emulate him. The comment was a jab at Narendra Modi, who, in 2011, did not put on a skull cap offered to him by a cleric, triggering controversy. Mr Modi, who was then chief minister of Gujarat, had accepted a shawl from the cleric.Today, Mr Modi tweeted, "Greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr. May this auspicious day strengthen the bond of peace, unity and brotherhood across our nation."