Chandigarh, Jan 25 (IANS) Former Union minister and former Punjab BJP President Vijay Sampla on Sunday expressed gratitude to the Central government for conferring the Padma Shri on Sant Niranjan Das, the revered saint of the Ravidassia community and head of Dera Ballan.
Sampla said that Sant Niranjan Das has devoted his entire life to spreading the teachings of Sant Guru Ravidas Maharaj across India and abroad, while also strengthening the values of social harmony, service, and humanity. “Honouring him with the Padma Shri is a matter of pride not only for the Ravidassia community but for the entire nation,” Sampla said in a statement.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular for this historic decision, he said, “This honour is a strong testament to the national recognition of the invaluable contributions made by saints and great spiritual leaders to society”.
Last month, ex-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Sampla, along with Sant Niranjan Das, met PM Modi at his official residence in New Delhi and urged that the Adampur Airport in Jalandhar be renamed after Guru Ravidas Maharaj in honour of the sentiments of the community.
At that time, Sampla had said that PM Modi received the delegation with great respect and devotion. He had said an invitation was formally extended to the Prime Minister to attend the 649th Prakash Purab of Guru Ravidas, scheduled to be celebrated in February in Varanasi.
The delegation had submitted a proposal to celebrate the 650th Prakash Purab in 2027 at the national level for a full year, promoting the teachings and “bani” of Guru Ravidas across the country. A request was also made for 50 acres of land in Varanasi, dedicated to organising the grand celebrations and related religious activities.
The delegation had honoured the Prime Minister with a beautifully framed portrait of Guru Ravidas Maharaj.
–IANS
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