PM Modi’s Visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan Marks Strategic Expansion of BJP’s Dalit Outreach in Punjab

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar has emerged as a major political and social event in Punjab, widely seen as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s intensified efforts to connect with the state’s large Dalit population. The visit, which took place on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti and shortly after the presentation of the Union Budget, blended religious observance with strong political messaging.

The Prime Minister paid homage at the dera, the largest spiritual centre of the Ravidassia community in Punjab. Located in the influential Doaba region, the dera holds significant social and political sway. The region, which includes Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, and Kapurthala, plays a decisive role in Punjab’s electoral politics due to its high concentration of Scheduled Caste voters.

PM Modi at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar | NDTV

Recognition of Dalit Religious Leadership

A key element of the outreach was the recent conferment of the Padma Shri on Sant Niranjan Dass, the head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan. The honour, announced shortly before the Prime Minister’s visit, has been widely interpreted as a gesture of recognition for Dalit religious and social leadership.

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi personally acknowledged Sant Niranjan Dass and highlighted the dera’s long-standing contributions to education, healthcare, and social welfare. This public recognition strengthened the perception that the central government is seeking to build a deeper relationship with influential Dalit institutions in Punjab.

Renaming of Adampur Airport as a Symbolic Gesture

One of the most significant announcements linked to the visit was the renaming of Adampur Airport as Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Airport. The decision fulfilled a long-pending demand from the community and was timed to coincide with the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas.

The move carried both symbolic and strategic importance. Guru Ravidas is a revered social reformer and spiritual figure whose teachings on equality and dignity continue to resonate strongly among Dalit communities in North India. By associating a key public infrastructure facility with his name, the government sent a clear message of cultural recognition and inclusion.

The airport also holds strategic importance as it is located at an Indian Air Force base where key defence assets are stationed. This added national visibility to what was otherwise a culturally significant gesture.

Punjab’s Dalit Demographics and Electoral Calculations

Punjab has the highest proportion of Dalits among Indian states, with Scheduled Castes accounting for around 32 percent of the population. In the Doaba belt, this share is even higher, making Dalit voters central to the state’s political dynamics.

For the BJP, this outreach assumes added importance following the party’s break with the Shiromani Akali Dal in 2020. Since then, the party has been working to establish an independent political identity in Punjab. Political analysts note that recent elections have shown a gradual increase in the BJP’s vote share, suggesting that the party is actively repositioning itself in the state’s political landscape.

The visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan is therefore being viewed not as an isolated event, but as part of a broader strategy to build sustained support among Dalit communities ahead of future elections.

Linking Guru Ravidas’s Teachings with National Development

In his address, Prime Minister Modi drew a direct connection between the teachings of Guru Ravidas and the government’s vision for national development. He highlighted that Guru Ravidas’s ideals of equality, dignity, and social justice align with the broader goal of building a “Viksit Bharat,” or developed India.

The Prime Minister also referenced his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, which is the birthplace of Guru Ravidas, reinforcing a personal and symbolic connection. By linking spiritual philosophy with governance goals, the speech positioned social inclusion as a core element of India’s development narrative.

A Broader National Dalit Outreach Strategy

The Punjab visit fits into a wider national pattern in which the BJP has increasingly highlighted Dalit icons and social reformers in its political and cultural messaging. Across different states, the party has sought to emphasise the legacies of figures such as Guru Ravidas, B.R. Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, and others as part of a long-term strategy to broaden its social base.

Analysts see this approach as an effort to integrate social justice themes more closely with development and governance, thereby appealing to communities that have historically been aligned with rival political parties.

The MGMM Outlook

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar reflects a calibrated effort to deepen engagement with Punjab’s influential Dalit communities by combining religious respect with institutional recognition. The visit, aligned with Guru Ravidas Jayanti, the Padma Shri for Sant Niranjan Dass, and the renaming of Adampur Airport as Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Airport, signals a broader emphasis on acknowledging Dalit religious leadership and cultural identity. These steps elevate the visibility of the Ravidassia community while reinforcing the government’s message of inclusion, dignity, and social respect through symbolic and administrative measures.

The outreach also aligns with Punjab’s unique political landscape, where Dalits constitute a decisive share of the electorate, particularly in the Doaba region. With the BJP reshaping its strategy in the state after the break with the Shiromani Akali Dal, the engagement with key Dalit institutions reflects a long-term repositioning aimed at building independent political relevance. By linking Guru Ravidas’s teachings with national development goals and social justice narratives, the approach integrates cultural recognition with governance priorities, positioning social inclusion as part of the broader development framework in Punjab’s evolving political context.

(Sources: NDTV, Hindustan Times, LiveMint)