New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi will not celebrate her birthday on Monday in the wake of rape incidents in various parts of the country and casualties due to fire in Delhi, sources said. The longest-serving Congress president will turn 73 tomorrow. Sources close to the Congress said that she is unhappy with the rising crime against women in the country and also the apathy shown towards the victims.

Gandhi's decision to not celebrate her birthday comes after gruesome rape and murder of Hyderabad veterinary Doctor and the Unnao rape victim, who was set ablaze, died at a hospital in Delhi. Assaults on women have also been reported from other parts of the country, sparking outrage among the people over the incidents.

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Sonia Gandhi took over as party president in 1998 and stepped down in 2017 to pave way for her son Rahul Gandhi who resigned after the poll debacle in 2019. During Sonia Gandhi's tenure, Congress saw successive government from 2004 to 2014 but was routed in 2014.

The party has adopted an aggressive posture against the government on the issue of rising crime against women, raising the issue in Parliament and outside. The party is organizing a rally on December 14 against government policies and economic slowdown. All the states have been asked to pitch in for the rally.

(with inputs from agencies)