Jalandhar, July 18 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a special direct train service from Chheharta in Amritsar to Seer Govardhanpur in Varanasi, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the Ravidassia community ahead of the 650th birth anniversary celebrations of Sant Ravidas. The train service, aimed at facilitating the pilgrimage of devotees to Sant Ravidas' birthplace, was flagged off in the presence of Sant Niranjan Dass, head of Dera Sachkhand Ballan, a prominent spiritual centre of the Ravidassia community in Punjab. The Prime Minister's visit marked his second trip to Jalandhar within six months, underlining the growing importance of the community in Punjab's socio-political landscape. Addressing the gathering, Modi recalled his earlier visit to Dera Sachkhand Ballan in February, when he participated in celebrations marking the 649th birth anniversary of Sant uru Ravidas. "Earlier, I had the privilege of visiting Dera Sachkhand Ballan to attend Sant Ravidas' 649th birth anniversary celebrations," Modi said while addressing the gathering. The event was attended by senior BJP leaders, signalling the party's continued efforts to expand its outreach among Punjab's Dalit population, which accounts for nearly one-third of the state's population. The PM's visit is being viewed in political circles as part of the BJP's strategy to strengthen its base among the Ravidassia community ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections. Punjab has the highest Scheduled Caste population among Indian states, with Dalits constituting around 32% of the state's population. Their influence is particularly strong in the Doaba region, where Dalits account for nearly 45% of the population. The Doaba belt, comprising 23 assembly constituencies, is considered a key electoral zone, and Dera Sachkhand Ballan holds considerable influence among voters in the region. The dera is believed to have an impact on electoral choices in several assembly segments. The importance of the dera was visible during the 2022 assembly elections when the Congress retained significant influence in Doaba despite the Aam Aadmi Party's sweeping victory across Punjab. The Centre's recent decision to confer the Padma Shri on Sant Niranjan Dass has further highlighted the dera's growing prominence. The timing is also significant as the 650th Prakash Purb celebrations of Sant Ravidas will take place in the same year as the assembly elections. Established in 1895 by Sant Pipal Das, Dera Sachkhand Ballan has grown into a major religious and social institution for the Ravidassia community worldwide. The dera originally followed the Guru Granth Sahib, which contains verses of Sant Ravidas. However, following the 2009 attack in Vienna that killed deputy head of the dera Sant Ramanand and injured Sant Niranjan Dass, the institution underwent a major transformation. In 2010, Dera Sachkhand Ballan announced the establishment of a separate Ravidassia religious identity and adopted Amrit Bani: Satguru Ravidass Granth as its religious scripture. Over the years, the dera has emerged not only as a spiritual centre but also as an influential institution shaping social and community affairs among Ravidassia followers in Punjab and abroad....