- Foundation stone laid for Shri Guru Ravidas Bani Adhyayan Centre in Punjab by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann
- The centre will cost Rs 100 crore and focus on Guru Ravidas's life and teachings
- Punjab plans year-long events for Guru Ravidas's 650th birth anniversary in 2027
The laying of the foundation stone of the Shri Guru Ravidas Bani Adhyayan Centre near Dera Sachkhand Ballan by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday is the latest indication of the growing political contest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP to connect with the Ravidassia community ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The proposed centre at Naugajan village, spread over around 10.5 acres, is estimated to cost about Rs 100 crore and will have a research and study facility focusing on the life and teachings of Guru Ravidas.
The project assumes significance as Punjab prepares for the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas in 2027. The state government has already announced year-long programmes to mark the occasion.
Mann has repeatedly sought to position the government's initiatives around Guru Ravidas as part of its commitment to social equality. At a recent state-level function at Khuralgarh Sahib, he said, "The life, philosophy and teachings of the great Guru continue to guide humanity."
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He also called for following Guru Ravidas's path to eliminate social evils and build an egalitarian society.
The AAP government's push comes after a series of high-profile moves by the BJP-led Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan on Guru Ravidas Jayanti in February and met Dera head Sant Niranjan Dass, who had recently been conferred the Padma Shri. Modi described the meeting as "very special" and highlighted the honour given to the Dera head for his service to society.
The Centre has since further strengthened the symbolic connection by flagging off the Sant Ravidas Express between Chheharta near Amritsar and Varanasi, the city closely associated with Guru Ravidas. The BJP's outreach has also included programmes linked to the saint's 650th birth anniversary.
For the BJP, the focus on Dera Ballan is part of a broader attempt to expand its social base in Punjab. For AAP, the challenge is to ensure that the BJP does not turn its growing engagement with the Ravidassia community into electoral gains.
The numbers explain the political interest. Scheduled Castes constitute around 32 per cent of Punjab's population - the highest proportion among Indian states. The Doaba region, where Dera Sachkhand Ballan is located, has an even higher concentration of Dalit voters, with Ravidassias forming a significant section of the community.
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The competition is therefore increasingly visible - between the Centre's outreach through the Prime Minister's visit, the Padma Shri and the Sant Ravidas Express, and the Mann government's research centre, memorial projects and year-long celebrations.
With the 2027 polls approaching, Guru Ravidas has emerged as an important political bridge to Punjab's Dalit electorate. The question now is whether symbolic gestures and religious outreach will translate into votes, or whether voters will ultimately judge the parties on issues such as education, employment, welfare, representation and social justice.
