As campaign hots up in Punjab, parties make beeline to deras

Come elections, and the religious ‘deras’ in Punjab become ‘must-visit’ centres for political parties to woo the followers. There are more than three dozen prominent ‘deras’ in the state with lakhs of followers.

While most of them do not openly support any party, the dera gurus indeed convey their preferences to their followers. During election days, it almost becomes mandatory for political leaders of the state to visit prominent deras and seek ‘blessings’ from the “babas”.

On Monday, more than 100 candidates belonging to the Akali Dal, the Congress, and other parties visited the Dera Sacha Sauda at Sirsa to seek blessings of its controversial chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, whose sect has more than three million followers in Punjab, particularly in the Malwa belt.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh faces charges of murder and rape of a ‘sadhvi’ and has been involved in a major controversy with the Sikh community since April 2007 for allegedly dressing like 10th Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.

The dera chief met the candidates on a single platform and did not oblige them with a separate audience. During the 2007 assembly elections, he had asked his followers to vote for the Congress, but had to face a backlash after the Akali Dal-BJP alliance came to power. A case was registered against the dera chief in Bathinda. This time, he has so far desisted from giving an open call to his followers.

The Left parties may have always shunned dera politics, but former CPI legislator Hardev Arshi, who is contesting from Mansa, also chose to visit the dera this time. PCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh and PPP president Manpreet Singh Badal have already paid a visit to the dera.

Ram Singh, a member of the Dera Sacha Sauda’s political wing, said: “No formal announcement has been made as far as extending support to any party is concerned… The decision in this regard will definitely come, but it will take few more days. We have asked our members in all districts and blocks to send us suggestions so that a consensus can be evolved.”

Another popular dera is the “Radhswami Dera” at Beas in Jalandhar district. It has its prayer centres almost in all villages and cities of the state. Though its chief has stayed away from political controversies, many political leaders would be making beeline to his headquarters.