Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Sant Shiromani Gurudev Shri Ravidas ji Memorial that will be constructed in more than ₹100 crors at Badtuma village of Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.
The Prime Minister said, “Sant Shiromani Gurudev Shri Ravidas ji Memorial will have grandeur as well as divinity which will flow from the teaching of Sant Ravidas ji.”
He said, “The memorial is steeped in the spirit of ‘Samrasta’ as the soil of more than 20,000 villages and 300 rivers have been used in it. Families from Madhya Pradesh have sent grain for ‘Samrast Bhoj’ and five yatras also concluded here at Sagar. These yatras mark a new era of social harmony.”
PM Modi said the temple will be completed in one and a half years and he knows that with the blessing of Sant Ravidas, he will come to inaugurate it as well. “With blessings of Sant Ravidasji, will come to inaugurate the temple as well,” he said.
The temple will be built in Nagar style in 10,000 square feet and a museum will also be built to display the work and personality of Sant Ravidas. Four galleries, a library, Sangat Hall, Jal Kund and a Bhakt Niwas will also be there.The temple will have two grand entrances and lighting arrangements.
Taking about the teachings of Sant Ravidasji, the Prime Minister said, “The emergence of evils in society is a natural occurrence. It is the strength of Indian society that a Sant or a Mahatma like Ravidas ji emerges time and again to ward off such evils. During the Mughal era, it was Sant Ravidas ji who was creating awareness and preaching ways to ward off evils of the society.”
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The Prime Minister said, “Sant Ravidas ji was raising his voice against malpractices prevalent in the society. The Sant said dependency is the biggest sin and that those who accept it and do not take a stand against it are not loved by anybody. Sant Ravidas ji provided strength to the society to fight oppression, and Chatrapati Shivaji used it as an inspiration to lay the foundations of Swarajya.”
“Today, the nation is moving forward with the same spirit of liberation and rejecting the mentality of slavery,” he added.
Talking about the inspiration drew from Sant Ravidasji, he said, “I know the pain of hunger and self-respect of the poor. I am a member of your family and I don’t need to look into the books to understand your pain. Free ration was ensured for more than 80 million people under Pradhanmantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana during pandemic to support my family members.”
The PM explained that how so many schemes have been launched to improve the lives of Dalits, poor, tribals and women at every stage of life.
“Matru Vandana Yojana, Mission Indradhanush, Sickle Cell Anaemia elimination, a campaign to free India from Tuberculosis by 2025, Ayushman Card and others schemes have changed the lives of people,” said the PM.
He said Dalits and poor were taking the highest benefits of MUDRA loans and Standup India scheme.
He mentioned about the 400-acre Lakha Banjara Lake and said under the Jal Jeevan Mission, piped water is reaching Dalit settlements, backward areas and tribal areas.
“Neither the people of this society are weak, nor their history. Great personalities have emerged from these sections of the society. The country is proudly preserving their legacy,” Modi said, citing the beautification of the temple at the birthplace of Sant Ravidas ji in Banaras, the Global Skill Park being built here at Govindpura in Bhopal named after Sant Ravidas, developing important places related to the life of Baba Saheb as Panch-Teerth and the development of museums in many states to immortalise the glorious history of the tribal society.
Attacking the previous governments, Modi said, “Schemes used to be introduced during the previous governments according to the election season. But we think that the country should stand with Dalit, deprived, backward, tribal and women at every stage of life. Let us support their hopes and aspirations.”
The Prime Minister said when inspiration and progress (Prerna aur Pragati) come together, a new era comes. The PM inaugurated two road projects of ₹1,580 crore and doubling of Kota-Bina rail route that developed at a cost of more than ₹2,475 crore.
Governor of Madhya Pradesh Mangubhai Patel, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Virender Kumar and Prahlad Singh Patel, member of Parliament (MP) V D Sharma and others were present on the occasion among others.
With construction of this temple, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is eying on 54 scheduled caste dominating assembly seats, including 35 reserved and 19 general, where the scheduled caste voters are deciding factor. In 2018, the BJP won 18 reserved seats and 17 seats were won by the Congress.