While the final itinerary is yet to be worked out, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi, during his two-day visit to Jharkhand, may visit the family members of inspector Francis Induwar, who was recently abducted and beheaded by Maoists in Ranchi. Rahul is leaving for Jharkhand on Wednesday.
Congress leaders said the schedule so far doesn?t include a meeting with the family, but sources claimed ?nothing can be ruled out completely?. AICC general secretary in charge of Jharkhand K Keshava Rao is, however, likely to meet them.
If Rahul does meet Induwar?s wife and children, it will send a strong political message in the poll-bound state and elsewhere at a time when the UPA government is preparing to launch a crackdown against Naxalites.
Addressing a press conference in Kerala a day after Induwar?s body was found, Rahul had attributed the spread of Naxalism to the inability of states to reach out to people and lack of development. Two days later, the Congress had displayed a tilt in its Maoist stance, more in line with Rahul?s views, talking of decoupling the law and order aspect of the problem from the socio-economic aspects involved.
Until then, the Congress had bracketed both the aspects, with party president Sonia Gandhi maintaining that Naxalites were ?misguided youths?.
Commenting on Rahul?s Jharkhand trip, where he would be accompanying the AICC leader, Rao said he had a packed schedule with about 12-13 meetings. Asked if Rahul would meet Induwar?s family based in Ranchi, Rao said: ?I don?t know what he will he do.?
His trip being in connection with the Youth Congress?s membership drive, Rahul will hold several interactions with Dalits and Adivasis. Congress MP Vijay Inder Singla, who is the coordinator for the Jharkhand Youth Congress elections, said Rahul will address two Scheduled Tribe conventions, one Scheduled Caste convention, one young women?s convention, and five interactive sessions with ?potential candidates? for Youth Congress elections. After the membership drive, which ends on October 26, the date of Youth Congress elections will be announced.
Rahul will start his tour from Sahibganj and visit Dumka, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh and Ranchi on the first day. He will meet Youth Congress, NSUI and party leaders during his visit. On October 15, he will visit the Maoist strongholds of Chatra and Daltonganj. He will also visit Chaibasa and Jamshedpur.