Advani visits Radha Soami dera, secretary

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Advani visits Radha Soami dera, secretly
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Dharmendra Rataul
Posted online: Monday , March 31, 2008 at 10:30:20
Updated: Monday , March 31, 2008 at 10:30:20
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Amritsar, March 30 Ahead of parliamentary elections, BJP top boss Lal Krishan Advani today paid a "secret religious visit" to Dera Radha Soami in Beas, about 40 kilometres from here.

Advani landed at dera's private airport on a special chartered plane last night and spent hours with dera head Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon and listened to satsang. His visit was kept a well-guarded secret.

Though political observers feel that the visit was a "strategic move" in the run-up to parliamentary polls, sources in the dera said the visit was a "private affair". "It was a religious visit and he wanted no disturbance. He spent 'valuable time' at dera before flying back to Delhi," said a source.

The dera that has a huge following in north Indian states usually attracts political leaders before polls. Senior Congress leaders, including UPA head Sonia Gandhi, are also frequent visitors. She had visited the dera ahead of 2002 state assembly elections, accompanied by Moti Lal Vora, who was then party's Punjab affairs in-charge, and Natwar Singh, who was at that time considered close to the Gandhi family. Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, former CM Capt Amarinder Singh have also been visiting the dera for the blessings of the Baba.

No local BJP leader was aware about Advani's visit, but tight security arrangements were made in the area. "For long, he had a desire to spend a night at the dera in communion with God," said a dera functionary, requesting that no political colour be added to his visit.

"The deras also have political affiliations and Radha Soami is no exception.

Why do the frequency of leaders' visits increases before polls," said Dr Jagroop Singh Sekhon, former head of the Department of Political Science, Guru Nanak Dev University.