DCW chief Swati Maliwal to go on indefinite hunger strike, seeks death penalty for child rapists
New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal will sit on an indefinite hunger strike from Friday at the Rajghat to demand swift capital punishment for child rapists.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maliwal alleged that the government has not paid any heed in the last 2.5 years to the Commission's request to devise a system that ensures that those who rape minors are punished by death in six months time.
"The DCW has been petitioning for the last 2.5 years to devise a system that ensures that those who rape minors are given death punishment in six months time. We also sent you 5.5 lakh letters of support to back this demand," Maliwal wrote.
The DCW chief said she was saddened as the Prime Minister did not take any action on this sensitive subject.
Citing Unnao and Kathua rape incidents, Maliwal said, "We are observing one-day fast for strengthening the democracy, but how will it be strengthened if women are not safe?"
An eight-year-old Muslim nomadic girl was allegedly abducted, drugged, raped, tortured and killed in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17.
A special team of Jammu and Kashmir crime branch has made a case for conspiracy, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, gang rape, murder and destruction of evidence against eight accused, which include four policemen.
However, the lawyers of Jammu Bar Association have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case. They have questioned the credibility of the Crime Branch officials, who according to them are mostly from Kashmir.
