Swati Maliwal, Chief of Delhi Commission for Women has finally ended her hunger strike of ten days after the government has finally taken a huge step for the security of girls. The government on Saturday signed off on an ordinance to introduce capital punishment for child rapists. The cabinet also decided to raise the minimum jail term to ten years if the victims are over 16 years old. The centre also says that the rape probes and trials cannot take more than two months each.
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Maliwal demanded death penalty for the rapists below 12 years of age and said “I was fighting alone but then I was supported by people across the country. I think this is a historical victory in independent India. I congratulate everyone on this victory.” She broke her fast at 2:00 PM on Sunday.
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Also in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maliwal listed out her six demands, which included the passage of the ordinance, recruitment of police personnel as per the United Nations standards and fixing accountability of the police force. According to the reports she later said, “The hunger strike is ending, but our struggle for women safety will continue.”