After Centre told the Supreme Court that they have begun the process of amending POCSO Act, 2012, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to congratulate and asked Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal to end her indefinite hunger strike.
Attaching a news reports to his tweet, the Delhi Chief Minister said, ” Congratulations @SwatiJaiHind. U shud now end the fast. We all shud now work towards effective implementation of these laws and keep working towards rest of the demands”.
Congratulations @SwatiJaiHind
U shud now end the fast. We all shud now work towards effective implementation of these laws and keep working towards rest of the demands. https://t.co/Ph9X3PQomg
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 20, 2018
For the eight-days, the DCW chief Maliwal is on a indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Azad Maidan, demanding stringent laws and the death penalty for rapists and perpetrators in Kathua and Unnao rape incidents.
Swati Maliwal has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding swift actions against the perpetrators.
“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.
Earlier in the day, the Centre in a letter submitted to Supreme Court (SC) on Friday, told the apex court that the process to amend the POCSO Act, 2012, has been initiated.
The amendments in the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act, 2012, will incorporate death penalty punishment for those convicted of raping a child below the age of 12 years.
The Centre was responding to an PIL (Public Interest Litigation), which sought maximum sentence of death penalty to those, who are involved in rape and murder of children between the age group of 0 to 12.
The next hearing in the matter was scheduled for 27 April by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and comprising of Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.