New Delhi:
Delhi Police have stopped Swati Maliwal, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief, from sitting on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to protest crimes against women. Ms Maliwal, who has demanded fast-tracking of rape cases and death penalty for rapists, said she was not a “criminal” and that it was “unfortunate” that Delhi Police was not cooperating. The DCW chief also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to demand rapists be hanged within six months of conviction. She stressed on the implementation of laws and increasing police resources.
“I will go on fast unto death till they (the centre) fulfill their promises. Police resources in the country should be increased accountability & fast track courts should be created. 66,000 policemen are immediately given to Delhi Police and 45 fast track courts should be established in Delhi. Punish the culprit under any circumstances,” Ms Maliwal tweeted this morning.
Delhi Police has said they have not rejected the demand to hold a protest and hunger strike. However, a letter asking for details and logistics of the planned strike had yet to be answered.
The details include transportation, microphone arrangements and number of protesters expected; these, with a copy of an undertaking, must be filed in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines.
In photos posted by Swati Maliwal on her Twitter account, Delhi Police barricades appear to have been set up, overnight, at the site of her planned protest.
“Can’t a woman fast in peace in the country? What is the fear of the central government? Is there really democracy?” she said in her tweet, adding, “…no matter how much the police and centre tries, my fast-unto-death will continue. I will not get up until the centre creates such a system”.
Earlier today, after visiting Rajghat, she said rape cases were “coming from all over the country”.
“Rapes cases are coming out from all over the country. Last time we protest for 10 days and then PM Modi made a law that rapist should be hanged within 6 months. But till today, not a single execution sentence has been given,” she declared. Swati Maliwal announced her hunger strike on Monday.
“I’ll sit on hunger strike from 10 am tomorrow at Jantar Mantar. I won’t get up until I get assurance from centre that rapists will be served death penalty within 6 months. Police accountability needs to be set .
Ms Maliwal’s planned hunger strike comes amid national outrage over the horrific gang-rape and murder of a 26-year-old Telangana woman. Four men have been accused of the crime. According to police documents accessed they planned the gruesome crime – they allegedly strangled her alive before burning the body – in detail when they saw her park her scooter near a toll booth.
The incident sparked nationwide protests and led to MPs demanding action in parliament – Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said “these types of people (the rape accused in the Telangana case) need to be brought out in public and lynched”.
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