DCW chief Swati Maliwal starts indefinite hunger strike demanding strong action in Kathua, Unnao rape cases

New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Saturday started an indefinite hunger strike demanding government to take concrete actions to curb sexual crimes against women. The hunger strike by Maliwal comes in wake of the recent incidents of rape in Kathua and Unnao. On Friday, she had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the same. [caption id=“attachment_3417908” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of DCW chief Swati Maliwal. News18[/caption] “Prime minister did fast for one day yesterday. We were hoping that he will speak something on the issue and will give assurance to the countrymen to ensure safety of our daughters. But silence of the PM and entire govt is very heart breaking,” Maliwal said, who offered prayers at Rajghat before beginning the strike. Thousands of people reached the strike venue to participate in the hunger strike and support the movement. Cutting across party lines, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha also reached Rajghat. “It is very sad that so many incidents of rape are happening in Delhi and the country. It is sending a wrong message across the world; our country is being called rape capital of the world. Our prime minister is not speaking a word on these incidents. Whatever happened in Kathua and Unnao is very shameful. All parties should come together to demand action against crimes against women," Sinha said. Former diplomat KC Singh and Samajwadi Party leader Ravinder Manchanda also visited the strike venue to extend their support to Maliwal. An eight-year-old girl from the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community disappeared near her house on 10 January in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district. A week later, her body was found in the same area. In the Unnao case, a 17-year-old girl has alleged she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on 4 June, 2017. In February, the girl’s family moved the court seeking to include the MLA’s name in the case. After the case was filed, the victim’s father was booked by the police under the Arms Act on 3 April this year and put in jail, where he died on 8 April.