DCW Chief Swati Maliwal Falls Unconscious, Admitted to LNJP Hospital on 13th Day of Hunger Strike

On December 3, Maliwal had sent a written letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding immediate implementation of the new Disha Bill that strict law and swift punishment for convicted rapists.

New Delhi: The president of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Swati Maliwal, who started her protest over rape convicts on December 3, fell unconscious and was rushed to the hospital on Sunday as her health worsened after a 12-day-long hunger strike. She was taken to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital for treatment.

The DCW chief has been demanding a death penalty within six months for convicts in rape cases. Earlier this Friday, Nirbhaya’s mother who urged her to end the hunger strike as it was taking a toll on her health. During her protest, Maliwal fell so ill that she was not even able to talk. She had also lost an immense amount of weight.

On December 3, Maliwal had sent a written letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding immediate implementation of the new Disha Bill that strict law and swift punishment for convicted rapists. “My demand to PM is that we want capital punishment for the rapists of minor and major victims. The accused in the Hyderabad case must be hanged. Last year, I sat on protest and within 10 days, the government made a law that the rapists of minors will get capital punishment within six months, but this did not happen,” she had written.

Subsequently, the DCW chief wrote to Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani requesting the Union government to take back the Rs 100 crores sanctioned from the ‘Nirbhaya’ Fund for setting up women help desks at police stations across the country.