# Parties court Ravidassia community ahead of 2027 Punjab polls 2026-08-10T07:57:58+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Both the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party have begun outreach to Punjab's Ravidassia community, which counts about 12 lakh people, mostly in the Doaba region. The effort coincides with the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidass in February 2027 and the state assembly election due around the same time. The community traces its roots to the early 20th-century Ad Dharm movement, which sought a separate religious identity for Scheduled Castes in Punjab. AAP has planned religious congregations and pilgrimages; BJP is also organising public connect programmes. Scheduled Castes make up about 32 per cent of Punjab's population, the highest among Indian states. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com - frontline.thehindu.com Tags: Adi Dharma, caste, Punjab, Ravidassia community, Saint Ravidas Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ravidassia-identity-grows-from-bhakti-challenge-to-caste-hierarchy/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ravidassia-identity-grows-from-bhakti-challenge-to-caste-hierarchy/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.