Beas dera chief’s kin is adviser to Badal

Ruchika M Khanna 

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 28 

Ahead of the Assembly poll in Punjab, the SAD-BJP government has appointed the brother-in-law of Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, head of the Radha Soami Dera, Beas, as Adviser to CM Parkash Singh Badal. He has been accorded the status of minister.

Parminder Singh Sekhon,  the fifth adviser to the CM, is the brother of Dera chief’s wife. He is married to the daughter of former Advocate General HS Mattewal, Badal’s one-time aide. Sekhon’s appointment at the fag-end of the government tenure is significant. The Beas dera has a massive following, with devotees across the state.

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The Dera, which has never come out in support of a political party, has had a pro-Congress tilt with several Congress men among Dera chief’s circle of friends. Hence, the importance of a kin of the Dera chief being allotted a  prominent position in the government cannot be ignored. Sources in the SAD say the move to have Sekhon as the CM’s adviser was orchestrated by Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.The latter has been engaging with the Dera leadership over the past few years. 

A management expert, Sekhon has had the experience of working with corporate entities in India and abroad. Also, he has been involved in the welfare of Sikhs in Singapore through the Khalsa Club Association.