CM Dhami honours Guru Ravidas at Samarasta Sankalp workshop in Dehradun
Synopsis
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the state workshop of the Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan in Dehradun on 24 July 2026, invoking Sant Ravidas's 650th birth-anniversary year to champion social harmony, antyodaya welfare, and Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code.
Key Takeaways
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan state workshop at Tyagi Road, Dehradun on 24 July 2026 .
The event marks the 650th birth-anniversary year of Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas Maharaj .
Dhami cited six central welfare schemes — Swachh Bharat Mission, Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, PM Awas Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana , and Jal Jeevan Mission — as embodiments of the saint's teachings.
Uttarakhand's Uniform Civil Code was highlighted as a step toward social equality and equal rights for all citizens.
The CM called on workers to take the campaign door to door across every village and neighbourhood in the state.
BJP state office-bearers, elected representatives, and party workers attended the workshop.
The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Friday, 24 July 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the state-level workshop of the Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan (Social Harmony Pledge Campaign) held at a local hotel on Tyagi Road, Dehradun, marking the 650th birth-anniversary year of Sant Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidas Maharaj.
Context
Addressing the gathering, CM Dhami paid reverential tribute to Sant Ravidas and described his teachings as eternally relevant to society. He quoted the saint's celebrated verse 'Man changa toh kathauti mein Ganga' — meaning 'If the heart is pure, the Ganga flows even in a small vessel' — as a timeless call for inner purity and social harmony. The CM said Sant Ravidas's life is a symbol of the great Indian cultural tradition that showed society the path of equality, humanity, social justice, and harmony.
Dhami emphasised that Sant Ravidas worked to awaken public consciousness against the social evils of caste hierarchy, untouchability, and discrimination. 'A person's identity is defined not by caste but by their deeds, character, and thoughts,' he said, paraphrasing the saint's core message.
Policy Backdrop
The CM linked Sant Ravidas's vision of Begumpura — a utopian society free of sorrow, built on equality and happiness — to the current government's welfare agenda. He stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is translating the saint's ideals of samarasta (social harmony) and antyodaya (uplift of the last person in the queue) into practice.
Dhami cited schemes including Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and Jal Jeevan Mission as instruments that have brought 'sweeping change' to the lives of the poor, marginalised, and needy. He added that the Uttarakhand state government, guided by the PM, treats antyodaya as its primary goal — connecting the person at the last rung of society to the mainstream of development.
Notably, the CM highlighted that Uttarakhand has implemented the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) with the stated aim of strengthening social equality and equal rights, ensuring a uniform law for all citizens of the state.
Stakeholders and Impact
The workshop was attended by BJP state office-bearers, elected representatives, party workers, and other dignitaries. The Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan is framed as a mass outreach campaign, and Dhami called on workers to carry it 'gaon-gaon, mohalle-mohalle aur ghar-ghar' — village to village, neighbourhood to neighbourhood, and door to door.
The event is significant for communities that venerate Sant Ravidas, particularly the Ravidassia community, which has a substantial presence in Uttarakhand and across northern India. The 650th birth-anniversary year provides a symbolic occasion for political and social outreach ahead of ongoing civic and electoral cycles.
What's Next
CM Dhami urged party workers and citizens alike to ensure that Sant Ravidas's teachings reach every section of society — not merely as remembrance but as lived values. He called for countering divisive tendencies and discriminatory attitudes through social unity and a 'Nation First' spirit.
With the Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan now having a state-level workshop as its launchpad, the campaign is expected to roll out at the district and block levels across Uttarakhand in the coming weeks, testing the BJP's grassroots mobilisation on the social-harmony plank ahead of future electoral contests.
Point of View
The event reads as early groundwork for community consolidation ahead of future electoral cycles in a hill state where marginalised-community outreach has historically determined thin victory margins.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan in Uttarakhand?
The Samarasta Sankalp Abhiyan is a social-harmony pledge campaign organised in Uttarakhand to spread the egalitarian teachings of Sant Ravidas. Its state-level workshop was held in Dehradun on 24 July 2026 during the saint's 650th birth-anniversary year, with CM Pushkar Singh Dhami calling on workers to take the campaign to every village and household.
Why is 2026 significant for Guru Ravidas Jayanti?
The year 2026 marks the 650th birth-anniversary year of Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas Maharaj, making it a milestone occasion for events, campaigns, and tributes across India, including the Uttarakhand state workshop attended by CM Dhami.
What did CM Dhami say about the Uniform Civil Code at the event?
CM Dhami stated that Uttarakhand has implemented the Uniform Civil Code with the aim of strengthening social equality and ensuring a uniform law for all citizens of the state, framing it as aligned with Sant Ravidas's vision of a discrimination-free society.
Which welfare schemes did CM Dhami link to Sant Ravidas's teachings?
CM Dhami cited Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, and Jal Jeevan Mission as schemes that embody the saint's ideals of antyodaya — uplifting the last person in the social queue.
What is the meaning of 'Begumpura' as mentioned by CM Dhami?
'Begumpura' is a concept articulated by Sant Ravidas describing an ideal, sorrow-free, egalitarian society where no one faces discrimination or hunger. CM Dhami invoked it at the Dehradun workshop to argue that the saint's social vision continues to guide modern governance and welfare policy.
