New Delhi, Jun 19 (IANS): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will not be celebrating his birthday on Friday on account of martyrdom of soldiers in Ladakh and suffering due to Covid, the party said.

Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal has asked party members to refrain from celebrations and instead help the poor and those who are suffering. Any form of celebration has been prohibited by the party.

The Congress has asked all its units to observe 2 minutes silence in memory of the valiant soldiers.

Meanwhile, the Youth Congress will be distributing Corona NYAY Kits among the neediest people on June 19 in line with the "vision of Rahul Gandhi to help the impoverished in these tough times and to pay tribute to our brave soldiers", its spokesperson Amrish Ranjan Pandey said in a statement.

The Youth Congress' Maharashtra unit has also announced a 'Service Week' from Friday to mark Gandhi's 50th birthday.

The 'Seva Saptah' will see office-bearers and workers carrying out various welfare activities to ease the lives of the poor and migrants hit by the coronavirus pandemic, said Youth Congress' Maharashtra President Satyajeet Tambe.