New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar on Sunday, February 1, in a move seen as carrying major political significance ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled next year. The visit coincides with the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas and is being viewed as a strategic outreach to the influential Ravidassia community in the state.
Confirming the programme, Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu said the Prime Minister would arrive at the Ballan Dera at around 4 pm after attending the Budget Session of Parliament earlier in the day. The visit marks a departure from Modi’s recent tradition of travelling to Seer Govardhan in Varanasi, the birthplace of Guru Ravidas, which also falls within his parliamentary constituency.
This year’s choice of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, one of the most revered religious centres of the Ravidassia community in Punjab, is being seen as particularly significant. Ravidassias in Punjab largely comprise Dalit Sikhs, along with a substantial Hindu following, and Dalits make up nearly 34 per cent of the state’s population. Political observers say the community’s electoral weight makes it a crucial constituency in a state where the political landscape remains fluid.
The BJP has already been energised by the announcement of the Prime Minister’s visit. Party leaders say expectations are high that a major announcement could be made on the day. A former BJP MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Prime Minister may even announce the renaming of the Adampur airport after Guru Ravidas. The excitement has been further heightened as the visit will take place ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Punjab on February 22.
Adding to the political messaging, the head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, Sant Niranjan Dass, was conferred the Padma Shri during this year’s Republic Day समारोह. The honour followed a meeting between the Dera chief and the Prime Minister in New Delhi about two months ago, which was attended by several BJP leaders including Avinash Chander, Tarun Chugh and former Union Minister Vijay Sampla. Sant Niranjan Dass oversees religious institutions linked to the Dera both in Ballan and Varanasi.
Every year, on the eve of Guru Ravidas Jayanti, Sant Niranjan Dass leads a special train carrying around 2,000 devotees to Varanasi. This year, the train is scheduled to be flagged off on January 29. Dera sources said the Dera chief may return to Punjab by air to be present during the Prime Minister’s visit on February 1.
Guru Ravidas followers have been demanding large-scale preparations for the 650th birth anniversary celebrations next year. BJP leaders say Modi’s visit will effectively mark the beginning of year-long commemorative events. “With this visit, the Prime Minister will kickstart the celebrations for the 650th Guru Ravidas Jayanti,” former CPS Avinash Chander said.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which currently governs Punjab, has also been planning a major event on Guru Ravidas Jayanti and has proposed acquiring 12 acres of land to establish a Guru Ravidas Research Centre near the Dera. The proposal was first announced during the tenure of former Congress Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. However, Dera functionaries claim that despite public commitments and cheque presentations by leaders from both Congress and AAP, no concrete work has begun so far.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is also expected to visit the tapo-asthan of Guru Ravidas at Khuralgarh in Hoshiarpur on February 6, where a 151-foot-tall Minar-e-Begampura is scheduled to be unveiled. Local residents have been pressing for infrastructure upgrades, including the widening of approach roads, ahead of next year’s 650th Parkash Purb celebrations.
