Sonia seeks speedy action against gangrape accused

Choosing to skip her customary New Year wishes on the sidelines of the 127th Foundation Day of Congress at AICC headquarters here, Gandhi said,"..Not so today because our thoughts are with the young woman, who is fighting for her life after the barbarous attack".

She added, "Our only wish today is that she recovers and comes back to us and that no time is lost in bringing the perpetrators of such a barbarous act to justice".

She was talking to reporters after hoisting the party flag at 24 Akbar Road.

This is the first time that Gandhi spoke publicly about the gangrape of the 23-year-old girl, who was also brutally assaulted in a moving bus on December 16 and thrown out in South Delhi.

The Congress chief had earlier shot off strongly-worded letters to Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Diskhit wanting firm steps for the security of women in the national capital, describing the incident as a "matter of shame".

The Congress President along with Rahul Gandhi had also met a group of protesters at her 10 Janpath residence and assured them of the party and the government's resolve to take strict action in the case and prevent recurrence of such incidents.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who spoke after Gandhi, said his "government is committed to bringing the guilty to justice as soon as possible."

"The Congress President has mentioned that we share the anguish and the anger of the country over this heinous crime. Our prayers are with the brave young girl and that best possible medical care is being provided to her," Singh said.

Describing the victim as a "brave young girl", Singh said that best possible medical care is being provided to her.

"Our prayers are with the brave young girl," he said.