Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party should first begin the pursuit of the path of truth shown by Mahatma Gandhi before talking about him, PTI reported. Priyanka Gandhi made the remarks ahead of a silent march in Lucknow held by the Congress to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

“It was the order of Gandhiji to pursue the path of truth,” she said. “Atrocities are being committed on women and when they raise their voice to fight against them, they are being crushed. We will definitely struggle against it.”

The party’s silent march, from Shaheed Smarak to GPO Park in Lucknow, was said to be a show of its strength. Leaders from the Congress are expected to pay floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the end of the march.

Gandhi, who is in charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh for her party, is scheduled to interact with workers and leaders at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters in Lucknow. Congress along with several other Opposition parties chose not to attend the Uttar Pradesh government’s 36-hour special simultaneous sessions of the state Assembly and Legislative Council on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary.

The sessions began on Wednesday and will end on Thursday night without any breaks. The leaders are likely to discuss sustainable development goals set by the United Nations along with Mahatma Gandhi’s life and vision. Last month, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet had decided to hold the special sessions in the two Houses.

Congress’ Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu said: “We will boycott this session which has been called only to set a record. Loot, murder, rape and other crimes have increased under the present dispensation and the government is not doing anything.”

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav held another event at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Lucknow and confirmed that the party’s leaders would not attend the sessions.

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