Sonia not to celebrate New Year in view of gang-rape incident

Appeals to party members and well-wishers not to come visit her to extend greetings

Congress President Sonia Gandhi will not be celebrating the New Year in view of the gang-rape incident in the national capital.

"Sonia Gandhi has appealed to partymen and well-wishers against coming to her to extend New Year greetings in the wake of gang-rape incident," party General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said here today.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gandhi were present at the airport when the mortal remains of the 23-year-old gang-rape victim were flown in here yesterday morning from Singapore where she was shifted from Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. She died in Singapore's Mount Elizebeth Hospital on Saturday morning.

Both Singh and Gandhi had spoken to the family members and consoled them.

"December 28 is close to New Year. Normally, we wish each other but not so this time as our thoughts are with the young woman...," she had told reporters on the 127th Foundation Day of Congress at AICC headquarters here on Friday.

Gandhi has sought speedy action against the perpetrators of the "barbarous" attack on the girl who was brutally raped and assaulted in a moving bus on December 16 in South Delhi.