In an effort to change the image of Youth Congress leaders generally identified as those having godfathers in AICC or a muscle power background, the Congress leadership has asked its youth wing members to read Katherine Frank’s highly-controversial biography of Indira Gandhi. Chances are likely that presentations on the biography will be made at the next national executive of All India Youth Congress (AIYC).
The Congress leadership, has not only asked them to read and imbibe the contents of a wide range of books but also activated a sort of “shadow cabinet” reflecting the ministries of the UPA government.
The books that have been prescribed for AIYC leaders cover a wide range of subjects, from religion and philosophy to India’s struggle for Independence and history. But the inclusion of Frank’s, “Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi” (2001) has left many surprised, given the fact that it had created a storm for making a lot of claims about the late leader’s alleged alliances.
Sources in AICC justified the inclusion of the book in the unofficial “curriculum” of Youth Congress leaders, saying future leaders of the party should have an idea of all sorts of critical views and comments, especially when it comes to its stalwart leaders like Indira Gandhi.
Only then, the sources said, would they be able to effectively counter such views forcefully. The Youth Congress leaders are expected to make presentations on the books they have been asked to read in front of delegates from all over the country in AIYC’s national executive meetings, so that the message about the need to acquire knowledge on various subjects trickles to the grassroots.

Books prescribed
Other books prescribed for them by the party leadership are Indian epics “Ramayan” and “Mahabharat”, which are full of political and philosophical overtones, Mahatma Gandhi’s “My Experiments With Truth”, and noted historian Bipan Chandra’s “India’s Struggle for Independence.”
They have been also asked to read and prepare presentations on the Holy Quran, Bhagwat Gita and the Bible, so that they understand the nuances of various religions. “That will be handy in a country like India where much problem is created in the name of religion. If they understand what these holy books say, they will be able to negate the negative use of religion by some parties,” the sources said.
As part of the overall “educational” programme for these future leaders, the Congress leadership has also formed a “shadow cabinet” for them, and those part of this not only prepared presentations on the last Union Budget but also followed up on all the finer nuances of each ministry’s proposals.
“Of course, we have not given them titles like shadow home minister or finance minister, as, being young minds, this could go to their young heads. But they are being asked to imbibe the intricacies of the functioning of various ministries with a hands on approach,” the sources said.