Ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dera Sachkhand Ballan on Sunday for Guru Ravidas Jayanti, the community closely associated with the shrine has drafted a charter of demands that they would propose to him.Advocate Sat Paul Virdi, who has earlier served as the Chief Spokesperson of Dera Ballan and remains closely associated with the Dera chief even now, said, “We want a massive planning to be done at the national level for the celebrations of 650th Guru Ravidas Jayanti next year. For this, we have been seeking several public and pilgrim-related needs. Some of these demands had earlier been submitted to the PM in 2016 and 2019, during his visit to Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan Mandir, Seer Govardhanpur, Varanasi, but these have not been implemented on the ground.”The list of demands includes construction of a galiara (pilgrim corridor), comprehensive beautification of the mandir complex, allocation of 100 acres of land for yatri niwas (public accommodation), a ₹500 crore infrastructure package for construction of roads and approach paths, public parks and green areas, museum and cultural centre, prayer halls, parking facilities, community kitchen, and sanitation and safety infrastructure.The community is also sore over the issue that Shri Guru Ravidass Mandir, Tughlaqabad (Delhi), which was demolished by the local authorities in August 2019, has not been reconstructed even after 5.5 years. “One special train for the Gurpurab is grossly inadequate. We are demanding at least five special trains from Punjab ahead of the Gurpurab”, he said.The dera is also expecting elaborate arrangements at the site, including the setting up of temporary tent cities, shelters, and basic facilities for pilgrims on a large scale next year, just as it was done by the Uttar Pradesh government during the Kumbh Mela. “There is no permanent public accommodation system for lakhs of devotees who arrive annually. We want a constitutional recognition of the Ravidassia religion, and our demand remains unresolved for the past over a decade”, the draft for the demand reads. The dera is also seeking an AIMS Hospital for the Doaba region.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”.It concludes with a message, “The Ravidassia community does not seek favours but constitutional equality, dignity, and fair recognition. The teachings of Guru Ravidas on equality, social justice, and human dignity are deeply aligned with the values of the Indian Constitution. We respectfully urge the Government of India to treat the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas as a national, spiritual, and cultural responsibility, and to ensure that all infrastructure, transport, accommodation, and symbolic recognitions are completed well in time.”