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Ravidas Jayanti: Kejriwal pays tributes to Dalit icon in poll-bound Punjab
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, U.P Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too offered respects to the Dalit icon
On the Ravidas Jayanti, Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal paid tribute to Guru Ravidas in Jalandhar in poll-bound Punjab, news agency ANI reported.
Accompanying the Delhi chief minister was AAP's Punjab chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann.
Kejriwal joins the likes of politicians like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who have marked the birth anniversary of the Dalit icon.
After offering prayers, Kejriwal also called for a construction of a grand temple dedicated to Guru Ravidas and promised to hold talks with Centre.
After offering prayers, both Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann undertook a roadshow in Jalandhar.
The gala Ravidas Jayanti celebrations began with Prime Minister Modi offering prayers at the Shri Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir in Delhi's Karol Bagh. He participated in the ‘shabad kirtan’ and also played manjira with the devotees.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited the Guru Ravidas temple in Varanasi and also took part in the langar.
Later, Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi too paid respects to the Dalit icon in Varanasi, even serving langar. The 36-second clip tweeted by the Congress' social media handle shows Rahul Gandhi and his sister serving food to the devotees sitting in a queue.
Guru Ravidas Jayanti is a popular festival in parts of country, especially Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. The Dalits comprise 30 per cent of population in Punjab, out of which 20 per cent are followers of the revered saint.
Punjab votes in single phase elections for 117-member Assembly on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
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