As the Central government proposed the death penalty for rapists of children younger than 12, Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal, who went without food for the eighth day on Friday, said she won’t end her fast until the law comes into force.

As a mark of protest against the rape incidents in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua and Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao, 33-year-old Maliwal began her hunger strike last week at Rajghat demanding immediate implementation of a stringent law for convicted rapists.

“Every day affidavits are submitted in courts by the government. Unless the law comes into enforcement, I won’t stop. The law has to be death penalty within six months to those convicted for raping minors,” she said.

Earlier in the day, the Central government told the Supreme Court that it is proposing the maximum punishment of death penalty for the rapists of children younger than 12.

After this, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Congratulations Swati Maliwal. You should now end the fast. We all should now work towards effective implementation of these laws and keep working towards rest of the demands”.

To this, Maliwal said she respects Kejriwal’s request but will not end her hunger strike.

The Union cabinet will take up for consideration on Saturday two draft ordinances, one prescribing the death penalty for those convicted of raping children below 12 years and the other empowering the executive to provisionally attach the property of suspected economic offenders who have left the country to escape trial, three senior government officials said on condition of anonymity.

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