Swati Maliwal, the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), has been on an indefinite hunger strike for almost eight days, demanding stringent anti-rape laws in India. As the entire nation was left in despair after the gang rape of an 8-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, Maliwal decided to take matters into her own hands and has been fasting since April 13.
The DCW chief has sought death penalty for child rapists and said that she will not stop her hunger strike until her demands are met. "If PM Modi could implement demonetization in a single night, then he could ensure a system for women's safety," Maliwal said on the third day of her hunger strike.
Maliwal's demands may soon bear fruit as the Centre on Friday started the process to ensure death penalty for convicts of child rape cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Her fight is not "her's", it's "OUR'S" , it's for the women in this country.
— Shalu (@Shalupcrf) April 20, 2018
More power to @SwatiJaiHind#RapeMuktBharat #SwatiFasts4Justice pic.twitter.com/A0CyyqS4n0
Indefinite Hunger Strike Day 8 https://t.co/XQ8PWFktDA
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) April 20, 2018
All you need to know about Swati Maliwal
- Swati Maliwal was born on October 15, 1984, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
- Maliwal did her schooling from Amity International School in Noida.
- She pursued her B.Tech (Information Technology) from JSS Academy of Technical Education, UPTU.
- She is married to AAP's Haryana convenor Naveen Jaihind.
- She was appointed as the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in 2015.
- She has spearheaded several awareness campaigns on women issues and Right to Information Act.
- Maliwal led a team of students and volunteers in the protest against Nirbhaya rape in 2012.
- She was the youngest member of 'India Against Corruption' campaign that comprised leaders like Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, and Kiran Bedi, among others.
- Maliwal is associated with Parivartan, an NGO co-founded by Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi's deputy CM Manish Sisodia.
- She has been on an indefinite hunger strike since April 13 seeking the death penalty for child rapists in the wake of 8-year-old's gang rape in Kathua.
- April 20 marks the eighth day of Maliwal's hunger strike.
- Her hunger strike has witnessed tremendous support from famous personalities and leaders like Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP leaders Shatrughan Sinha and Yashwant Sinha, and former AAP education advisor Atishi Marlena among others.
