Chandigarh, Jun 13 (IANS): Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to name the Adampur Airport in Jalandhar after 15th century spiritual sage Guru Ravidas, as already expressed by the PM during his recent visit to Punjab to underpin the ethos of spirituality in the diversity that binds India.

“This has also been a long-pending demand of the people of Punjab. Besides, now that the Guru Ravidas temple at Tughlakabad in Delhi is to be recreated and remodeled to restore its original glory, it would be worthwhile to consider developing the areas around the Guru Ravidas temple into a serene garden,” Jakhar said in a letter to the Prime Minister.

“This will enhance the shrine’s appeal without tinkering with the layout. It will also inspire people from all over to soak in the egalitarian preaching of the revered saint. The temple in Tughlakabad that was demolished on the directions of the Supreme Court in 2019 has cleared the legal glitches. The area around the temple can be aesthetically landscaped into a 'vatika' that would exude the aura of the sacred Guru.

“This will be a befitting tribute to Guru Ravidas and an expression of your resolve to uphold the tenets of all faiths. I thank you in anticipation and look forward eagerly to your kind indulgence on the above issues,” he said.

During campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab's Hoshiarpur, Prime Minister Modi paid homage to the sacred land of Guru Ravidas and emphasised his government's commitment to development and heritage preservation.

“Hoshiarpur is called the small Kashi. This is the sacred land of Guru Ravidasji. Ending the election campaign here is nothing short of a blessing,” PM Modi said, connecting the spiritual significance of Hoshiarpur with his constituency, Varanasi, which is also the birthplace of Guru Ravidas.

He had also expressed his desire to rename the Adampur Airport after Guru Ravidas, promising swift action once the government is formed.