In a move that is set to put further pressure on the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh,which has come under fire following the recent communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas that has claimed 39 lives so far,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Muzaffarnagar on Monday. A meeting of the National Integration Council (NIC) has also been convened on September 23 to discuss the increasing communal incidents. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi are likely to accompany the PM,although there was no official confirmation till late in the evening. Sources said Rahul has deferred a meeting of senior party functionaries scheduled on Monday. The Congress had earlier announced that Sonia and Rahul would visit the affected areas next week. The PMs scheduled visit to Muzaffarnagar and the NIC meeting which will be attended by all union ministers and chief ministers reflects the Centres concern. The PMs last visit to riot-affected areas was in Assam last year. Meanwhile,Akhilesh is set to visit Muzaffarnagar on Sunday. Although Sonia and Rahul have so far maintained silence on the Muzaffarnagar clashes,their visit will come at a time when the Samajwadi Party is facing flak from Muslim leaders and organisations for its failure to protect their lives and properties. Incidentally,the decision on the PMs visit comes a day after Narendra Modi was declared the BJPs prime ministerial candidate. Modi released Amit Shah into UP and you have seen the trailer of what is to come, Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury had said earlier. An official statement said Saturday that the NIC notes with concern the increase in communal incidents in different parts of the country over the last few years.
