Priyanka Gandhi: First pursue path of truth shown by Bapu, then talk about him

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hit out at BJP saying the party should first pursue the path of truth shown by Mahatma Gandhi and then talk about him.

"To walk on the path of truth was Gandhi ji's message. The BJP must first pursue the path of truth and then should talk to others about walking on the same path," she said while leading the Padyatra in Lucknow today organised by the Congress party on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The statement from the Congress General Secretary came when asked to comment on a special 36-hour long Uttar Pradesh Assembly session.

The Gandhi scion also assured that the Congress workers will fight for the jailed Shahjahanpur law student who levelled rape allegations against BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand and make efforts to provide her justice. "We will protest to ensure justice to the victim. The voice of the victim is being suppressed when they fight for themselves," he said.

The Gandhi scion along with party workers was on padayatra from Shaheed Smarak to the GPO Park, where she will also pay homage to Mahatama Gandhi.

In the afternoon, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will head towards Congress party office where she will hold discussions with the volunteers about the party and development.

The Congress general secretary has repeatedly targeted BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over law and order issues.

Yesterday, she slammed the administration for preventing Congress workers from taking out a protest march in the support of the law student. "Criminals in UP have the protection of the government so they can intimidate the rape victim," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"The UP BJP government wants to suppress the voice seeking justice for the daughter of Shahjahanpur. The padayatra is being stopped. Our workers and leaders are being arrested. What is there to be afraid of?" the Congress general secretary in-charge UP East said.

The law student was on Wednesday arrested on charges of extortion and has been sent to 14 days judicial custody. Just hours later, her bail plea was also rejected by the judicature.

The accused Chinmayanand has also been sent to judicial custody after his arrest. He has been booked under section 376C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a charge with lesser punishment than rape.

-ANI