Till about a month ago, only a few outside Punjab and not many even within the state, barring its followers, were aware of Dera Ravidass Sachkhand Ballan and its massive following among the Dalits. But the killing of its deputy chief, Sant Ramanand, and the attempt on the life of its head, Sant Niranjan Dass, at Vienna and the subsequent widespread protests across the state has drawn the attention of political leaders across the spectrum.

Thus, the Punjab Government headed by Parkash Singh Badal went overboard in not only arranging a chartered flight to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased Sant from Vienna but also ordered a state funeral. It also declared that no case would be pursued against those who had indulged in protests after his death. Both Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Badal, were present at the cremation on Thursday.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati also landed at Jalandhar to join the hundreds who turned up to pay their last respects. Speaking to the media, she said the assassination was part of a “larger conspiracy” and an “attack on the movement for social change”. She pointed out that she, too, belongs to the Ravidassi community.

Former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and a large number of other local Congress leaders too visited the Dera to pay homage and to express support for the followers.

Earlier, the mortal remains of the Sant were received at the Delhi airport by Union Minister Ambika Soni and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia among others.

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