Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday offered prayers to Guru Ravidas at a temple in the national capital on his birth anniversary, while several bigwigs of the BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party visited the Dalit icon’s birthplace in Varanasi to pay obeisance. In a gesture replete with political symbolism, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Charanjit Singh Channi, the first Dalit chief minister of Punjab, and AAP’s Sanjay Singh took part in the annual gathering of the saint’s followers amid the heat of assembly elections. Notably, the mystic poet-reformer who preached against social prejudices enjoys a nationwide following, especially among the Dalits, and the community members are present in large numbers in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh where election campaigning is in full swing.
The Election Commission had changed the Punjab election date from February 14 to February 20 owing to Guru Ravidas Jayanti following a request from parties as a large number of his followers travel from Punjab to Varanasi for the celebrations. Prime Minister Modi joined devotees in singing bhajans at the ’Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir’ in Karol Bagh in Delhi and played the musical instrument ’Jhanj Khartal’. He also shared a video on Twitter, describing it as “very special moments”. Later paying homage to the saint at election rallies in Pathankot (Punjab) and Sitapur (UP), Prime Minister Modi said the welfare of the poor was above everything else for his government and it was taking inspiration from Guru Ravidas’ teachings.
In Varanasi, Channi was the first among political leaders to arrive at the Guru Ravidas temple in Seer Govardhan locality of the Lanka area. Adityanath was next in the VIP visitors to the temple followed by the Gandhi siblings, who even performed a ’langar seva’ during the visit, while Rajya Sabha MP and AAP’s UP in-charge Sanjay Singh too paid his respects to Guru Ravidas.
The chief minister also shared on Twitter videos of his visit to the temple where he had a langar meal. Varanasi, a spiritual town and considered among the oldest in the world, is also the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi, during his rally in Sitapur, said it was a double pleasure for him to be representing Kashi, the birthplace of Guru Ravidas. He said taking inspiration from Sant Ravidas, his government is running on the mantra of ”Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas”.
He said the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh were making all-out efforts to ensure that the pilgrims from Punjab and around the country, who are currently visiting Varanasi on the occasion of Guru Ravidas Jayanti, are facilitated in every manner. Rahul Gandhi also shared on social media a video of him and his sister performing the ’langar seva’.
Earlier in the morning, Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress general secretary and UP in-charge, said she has been visiting the Guru Ravidas temple in Varanasi every year but was happier this time because her brother Rahul was joining her too. Channi tweeted, ”On the occasion of Sri Guru Ravidas Jayanti, paid obeisance at Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan mandir in Varanasi. Let us imbibe his teachings of love, compassion, mutual tolerance and oneness of mankind.” After paying his respects at the temple, AAP’s Sanjay Singh said the education model of Delhi under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is derived from the thoughts of Guru Ravidas and Dr. B R Ambedkar.
He also took to social media to say that he prayed for the prosperity of the nation and hoped that the invaluable thoughts of Guru Ravidas on ”love, brotherhood and amity” will continue to guide everyone. However, in a jibe at political leaders visiting the birthplace of Sant Ravidas, BSP chief Mayawati claimed those who ignore saints and their teachings are now bowing their heads for the selfish motive of getting votes.
There is a need to be careful of such elements who are adept at doing politics of votes only, Mayawati, one of the prominent Dalit leaders, said in a statement issued by the BSP office in Lucknow, as she held a public meeting in the state capital to drum up support for party candidates. Dalit voters in UP and Punjab are considered key vote banks for any party.
Locals also flocked to the Guru Ravidas temple throughout the day. The temple sees a small number of visitors generally, of which tourists, especially from Punjab, constitute a majority. Politicians throng the site mostly during Guru Ravidas Jayanti. Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Adityanath and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi have visited the temple in the past also. The day was observed with festive fervour by Dalit communities in various neighbourhoods of Varanasi like Shivdaspur, Pandeypur, Manduadeeh, Bhadaini as well as in other parts of the country. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a slew of welfare schemes for Dalits, including one related to self-employment, and his government organised a statewide event.
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