Lucknow, Oct 2 (IANS): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday led a silent 'padyatra' in Uttar Pradesh's capital here as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.

With thousands of Congress workers from across the state, Priyanka said before embarking on the yatra that her party would continue to stand in support of the law student who has been a victim of sexual exploitation by a BJP leader.

Senior Congress leader Jitin Prasada and Congress legislators Ajay Kumar Lallu and Aradhana Misra were among those who joined Priyanka in the march.

Briefly talking to reporters before embarking on the padyatra, Priyanka said, "Before holding assembly session on Gandhi Jayanti, the BJP should first follow the principles of 'satya and ahimsa' of Gandhi ji. Since this is a silent yatra, all I want to say is that we will continue to stand in support of the Shahjahanpur victim."

Priyanka started her yatra from Shaheed Smarak and walked a distance of about three kilometres to the Gandhi statue at GPO Park where she paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation.

Congress workers also sang bhajans including 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' which was Gandhi's favourite bhajan'.