Advocate Sat Paul Virdi stated, “We aim for extensive planning at the national level for the celebrations of the 650th Guru Ravidas Jayanti next year.”
In anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan on Sunday for Guru Ravidas Jayanti, the community linked to the shrine has prepared a set of demands to present to him.
Advocate Sat Paul Virdi, who previously was the Chief Spokesperson of Dera Ballan and still maintains a close bond with the Dera chief, stated, “We aim for extensive planning at the national level for the celebrations of the 650th Guru Ravidas Jayanti next year.”
To accomplish this, we have been identifying various public and pilgrimage-related requirements.
Several of these demands were previously presented to the PM in 2016 and 2019 during his trip to Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan Mandir, Seer Govardhanpur, Varanasi, yet they have not been acted upon.
The demands encompass the building of a galiara (pilgrim corridor), extensive enhancement of the mandir complex, provision of 100 acres for yatri niwas (public lodging), a Rs 500 crore infrastructure fund for developing roads and access paths, public parks and greenery, museum and cultural center, prayer halls, parking spaces, community kitchen, plus sanitation and safety facilities.
The community is also upset over the fact that Shri Guru Ravidass Mandir, Tughlaqabad (Delhi), which was destroyed by local authorities in August 2019, has not been rebuilt even after 5.5 years.
“One special train for the Gurpurab is highly insufficient.”
He stated, “We are requesting a minimum of five special trains from Punjab prior to the Gurpurab.”
Virdi said, “The community will commemorate the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas in 2027. The Prime Minister has been invited to that occasion too. The community sincerely hopes that the celebration will then be organised at the national level. All our previous commitments will be honoured well before 2027.”
“A central coordination committee involving the Government of India, Uttar Pradesh Government, Railways, Aviation, Culture, Tourism, and Urban Development Ministries will be constituted.”
