Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI/JALANDHAR: In a goodwill gesture to followers of Guru Ravidas, whose Dalit followers are a sizeable presence in Punjab, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said his govt was continuously making efforts to promote the saint’s ideals and work in accordance with them.Modi addressed the followers at Dera Sachkhand Ballan soon after naming Adampur airport after the social reformer on his birth anniversary, lauding his message of equality. “I am confident that we will continue to strengthen the roots of our society with these efforts,” he said in a message of unity to the poet-saint’s followers. His inclusion of Ravidas in the saffron tent of its lodestars, where Lord Ram sits alongside revered saints, is being seen as his effort to deepen BJP’s connect and broaden its cultural appeal.His gesture of helping the spiritual head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, the biggest dera of Ravidassia community, climb down the stairs from the dais and help him walk along by holding his hand touched a chord among followers as well. “Hum hain na! Kam padenge kya? (I am there. Will it not be enough),” he told someone who offered to lend a land, drawing admiration.In his speech, he spoke of Ravidas’s promotion of equality among people to emphasise it was an inspiration behind his govt’s effort to build a country where everybody got respect and opportunity.Ravidas’s birth anniversary is now commemorated at a national level and many states too have recognised it, he told the gathering, drawing attention to his govt’s work to build memorials to the saint, including at his birthplace in Varanasi, Modi’s parliamentary constituency.Modi’s outreach to the Ravidassia community, who are in large numbers in Punjab while the saint enjoys following among other Dalit and disadvantaged communities in the state and outside as well, is being seen as part of his continuing efforts to deepen BJP’s bond with SCs. Dalits make up 32% of voters in Punjab, more than any other state, and are especially influential with 42% share in Doaba, the region where the dera is situated.Dera’s spiritual head Niranjan Dass was recently awarded with Padma Shri.Modi said 600 years ago, Ravidas spoke for equality and helped grow a new consciousness in society, which acknowledged its weaknesses and worked to remove them, an apparent reference to social discrimination against lower castes. Modi added his govt named the airport in Ayodhya after saint Valmiki, another spiritual figure worshipped by sections of Dalits.In his speech, Modi cited the budget’s focus on sports, textile industry and MSME sectors and said Punjab will specially benefit from them due to its strong association with these fields. India’s trade deals, especially with the European Union representing 27 countries, would open up new avenues for sports goods, textiles and processed foods from the state, Modi said.
