Ravinder Pal Singh, is the well-known 'Babaji Burger Wale' of Ludhiana’s Samrala Chowk.
He spoke to SBS Punjabi about why he's contesting the upcoming general elections as a Lok Sabha candidate.
“I come from a committed Akali-Taksali family which went to jail during the Dharam Yudh Morcha and the Punjabi Suba Morcha. My father sold pakorhas for a living. Political awareness and fight is in my blood," he said.
"My parents and sister have endured jail due to their political views. But I’ve distanced myself from political parties and also pakorhas. I chose the burger,” Mr Singh added.
He has a Facebook page on which he advertises his vegetarian fare and other promotional as well as devotional offers.
Mr Singh is fully cognisant of the fact that he is up against some political heavyweights, but that doesn’t seem to deter him at all.
His chief opponent is the incumbent Ludhiana MP, Congress’ Ravneet Singh Bittu, who also is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. The others in the fray are: Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal of the National Democratic Alliance (Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance) and Aam Aadmi Party’s Tejpal Singh.
“Health and education have become the remit of the mafia in India. I want to change that. Honest people should be able to run this country,” says Babaji, who is an Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh. His appearance gave him the nickname, ‘Babaji’, which has replaced his real name.
So committed is he to his religious ideology that his burger cart has some “offers” for young children from the Sikh community to incentivise memorising Gurbani (prayers in the Sikh tradition).
Babaji's burger stall in Ludhiana invites young children to memorise 'Gurbani' and win a burger everyday for a year. Source: Supplied
“If any child under 15 years memorises Asa Di War, I will offer him a burger every day for a full year. If a child can recite Japji Sahib, s/he will get a free burger and for every new baani, a burger on every 10th gurpurab (anniversary) of Guru Granth Sahib. This is my way of daswandh (earmarking one-tenth of one’s income towards charity according to the Sikh tradition),” elaborates Babaji.
Babaji prides himself on the taste and hygiene of his burgers. “I chose burgers over pakorhas because they don’t require much staff to cook. Also, they were a novelty when I started my business in 1980 and their demand was increasing."
"I can’t leave this business,” says he, who has been provided with a constable from Punjab Police for his personal security, who rides pillion with him on his Honda Activa, which serves as his election campaign vehicle.
Click on the player at the top of the page to listen to this interview in Punjabi.
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