Son rises amid dark days for dera: Jasmeet Insan is chief executive

CHANDIGARH: Facing a crisis of leadership and image after the 20-year sentencing of sect head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a rape case, Sirsa-headquartered Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) on Tuesday declared his 33-year-old son, Jasmeet Insan, as “karajkari parbandhak” (executive manager) with all financial and decisionmaking powers.

Jasmeet’s posting as effectively the chief executive officer stops short of handover of the ‘gaddi’ (seat), and comes amid speculation that the headship would be given to someone from outside the family as per the sect’s convention. The two women being talked about are the dera head’s adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan and the sect’s chairperson Vipassana.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim will thus continue to remain the “spiritual and supreme head”, sources said.

The decision to give the executive position to Jasmeet was taken at a 45-member core committee meeting of the dera on Monday, the day the dera chief was sentenced. Gurmeet’s mother Naseeb Kaur was present at the meeting and strongly persuaded Jasmeet’s case, said a top dera follower.

Born on August 17, 1984, as per his school certificate, Jasmeet is married to Bathinda region Congress leader and former minister Harminder Jassi’s daughter, Husanmeet. Jassi, a top Congress source revealed, has been camping at the dera headquarters in Sirsa for the last three days and also played an instrumental role in pushing Jasmeet’s name.

“Most members of the committee,which comprises managers and trustees, were in favour of elevating Jasmeet, who till now was looking after the sports wing. Sadhvi (‘saint’) Vipassana, who is chairperson for routine functioning, was also present at the meeting,” sources close to a trustee hailing from the Malwa region told HT. Sources said Honeypreet denied any post. She has remained incommunicado.