The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is advocating for the recognition of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, a prominent figure in the Indian farmers’ movement, with the Bharat Ratna. Additionally, the party is calling for the renaming of the Bihta Airport in Patna after Swami Sahajanand Saraswati. These demands were put forth by Ravindra Ranjan, the president of the Swami Sahajanand Kisan Vahini and a BJP leader, during a function held at the BIA Hall in Patna on the occasion of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati’s death anniversary. The function was inaugurated by Dr. Dilip Jaiswal, the BJP state president, who emphasized the enduring relevance of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati’s work, highlighting his role in organizing farmers at the national level. Jaiswal noted the significant impact of Sahajanand’s efforts, which brought farmers into the mainstream of Indian politics. He also mentioned Sahajanand’s contributions to the abolition of the Zamindari system and his lifelong dedication to the cause of the poor, Dalits, and farmers, suggesting that today’s politicians should draw inspiration from his work. Ranjan reiterated the demand for declaring either the birth anniversary or death anniversary of Sahajanand as National Farmers Day, besides the Bharat Ratna. He also called for the inclusion of Sahajanand’s ideas in textbooks and the establishment of an agricultural university in his name.
