Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Punjab on Sunday, coinciding with the 649th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidass. The visit is seen as a strategic effort to connect with the Ravidassia community, a significant voter segment in Punjab’s Doaba region, which comprises Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, and Kapurthala districts. The community wields influence over at least 19 of the 23 Assembly seats in Doaba, a region critical for the 2027 Punjab Assembly polls.
During the nearly 45-minute visit, PM Modi will meet Sant Niranjan Das, the revered head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan and a Padma Shri awardee. Modi will also inaugurate initiatives aimed at promoting the teachings of Guru Ravidass, including the renaming of Adampur civil airport after the saint. The Prime Minister will reach Adampur airport around 3:30 pm and proceed to the dera via helicopter. He is also scheduled to virtually inaugurate the new terminal of Halwara Airport in Ludhiana, improving aviation infrastructure in the industrially and agriculturally significant region.
Sant Niranjan Das, the spiritual head of Dera Ballan, has dedicated his life to spreading Guru Ravidass’s teachings of equality, compassion, and human dignity across India and abroad. Last month, he and former National Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman Vijay Sampla met PM Modi, requesting the renaming of Adampur Airport and proposing the celebration of the 650th Prakash Purab of Guru Ravidass in 2027 at a national level. The delegation also sought 50 acres in Varanasi to organize grand celebrations and religious activities.
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Ahead of Modi’s visit, the Punjab government announced the establishment of the Sri Guru Ravidass Bani Adhyayan Centre near Dera Ballan, registering over nine acres of land worth Rs 10.50 crore for the initiative. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema described the center as “one of its kind in the country,” emphasizing the state government’s commitment to promoting the teachings and ideology of Guru Ravidass. Analysts see this as part of a broader political strategy to engage the Ravidassia community ahead of next year’s elections.
Dera Sachkhand Ballan, founded in the early 20th century by Sant Pipal Das, remains the spiritual and cultural hub for the Ravidassia community in Punjab. The PM’s visit, coupled with infrastructure and cultural initiatives, underscores the government’s intent to strengthen bonds with this influential voter base while highlighting the enduring legacy of Guru Ravidass across India.
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