PM Modi's Punjab Dera visit today sparks Dalit outreach race among parties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar, Punjab, on Sunday on the occasion of Sant Ravidas Jayanti, marking the first time he is choosing the Punjab-based Dera over the Sant Ravidas Ashram in Varanasi for the event.

The Dera is a major religious centre of the Ravidassia community, drawing followers from across the country. Modi's visit comes less than a year ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, underlining the political significance of the outreach.

Punjab has the highest Scheduled Caste population in the country at around 32%. More than 40% of the state's SC population is concentrated in districts surrounding the Dera, making it a key centre of influence in electoral politics. While estimates vary, the Dera is believed to influence voting behaviour in around 22 to 25 Assembly constituencies, a region where the Congress has traditionally maintained a strong presence.


This political signalling has been accompanied by recent honours, with Dera Sachkhand Ballan chief Sant Niranjan Das being awarded the Padma Shri by the Centre days ahead of the visit. Other parties have also stepped up outreach efforts. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has announced the construction of a Guru Ravidas Bani Study Centre in Jalandhar and has already allotted nine acres for the project. The Congress, meanwhile, has demanded that Sant Ravidas Jayanti be declared a national holiday.