In a critical political and religious outreach, High Minister Narendra Modi is determined to consult with Dera Sachkhand Ballan, the influential seat of the Ravidassia community, on February 1.
The consult with coincides with the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidass and springs on the heels of the Centre conferring the Padma Shri upon Dera head Sant Niranjan Dass.
The High Minister’s consult with to the village in Jalandhar district follows a excessive-profile meeting in December final three hundred and sixty five days, the set aside Sant Niranjan Dass in my procedure invited Modi and requested nationwide celebrations for the religious leader’s 650th birth anniversary in 2027.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu said that the PM would near on Sunday afternoon following the Union Funds session. “It’s a ways a 2d of satisfaction for Punjab. The PM has current the invitation to enroll in the Ravidass Jayanti celebrations, which objectives to propagate solidarity all the scheme in which by all communities,” Bittu said, urging other events not to politicise the tournament.
Why Dera matters
The consult with carries weight in the Doaba negate, the heartland of Punjab’s Dalit politics. With the 2027 assembly elections on the horizon, the BJP is asking to build a foothold in a negate the set aside it has historically struggled.
Punjab has the finest Dalit population in India at 32%. In Doaba, this figure rises to merely about forty five%. Of the 117 assembly seats, the negate accounts for 23. The Dera is believed to electrify voters in a minimal of 19 of these segments.
In the 2022 assembly elections, the Dera enlighten helped the Congress face up to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wave in Doaba, with the social gathering successful 10 seats in the negate.
“The PM usually visits Seer Govardhan in Varanasi, the birthplace of Guru Ravidass, which falls in his indulge in constituency. His decision to return to Dera Ballan is ancient,” said primitive Union minister and BJP leader Vijay Sampla.
Shifting trajectory
Established in 1895 by Sant Pipal Das, the Dera before all the issues adopted Guru Granth Sahib, which involves the verses of Guru Ravidass. Alternatively, the sect’s trajectory shifted following the 2009 assassination of its deputy leader, Sant Ramanand, in Vienna, Austria. The attack, which also left Sant Niranjan Dass injured, ended in a formal damage from former Sikh constructions.
In 2010, the Dera introduced the formation of a separate faith, Ravidassia, and replaced Guru Granth Sahib with its indulge in holy e book, the Amrit Bani: Satguru Ravidass Granth.
Whereas the Dera maintains a strictly non-political public stance, its premises live a obligatory live for leaders all the scheme in which by the spectrum, including primitive chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party management, including Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann for the length of election cycles.
The PM’s upcoming consult with is anticipated to extra cement the Dera’s set aside as a central pillar in Punjab’s socio-political landscape.
Legacy of 5 heads
Head Tenure Key contributions
Sant Pipal Das 1895–1928 Founded the Dera; native of Bathinda.
Sant Sarwan Dass 1928–1972 Expanded the religious attain of the sect.
Sant Hari Dass 1972–1982 Centered on community consolidation.
Sant Garib Dass 1982–1994 Established hospitals, faculties, and the Begumpura Shaher newspaper.
Sant Niranjan Dass 1994–Most up-to-date Declared Ravidassia a separate faith; Padma Shri recipient.
