Death penalty for rapists: DCW chief writes to MPs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 18

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal today showed moderate amounts of ketones in her urine but doctors monitoring her health at Rajghat have maintained that she “can continue her fast”.

The DCW chief also wrote to MPs seeking their support on the cause and asking them to raise the issue before Prime Minister Narendra Modi as her fast completed the sixth day today.

Among those who turned up on the sixth day of the DCW chief’s fast were JDU leader Sharad Yadav, Delhi Minority Commission member Kartar Singh Kochar and AAP MP Sanjay Singh while party supporters singer Vishal Dadlani and Roadies fame Raghu Ram, Bollywood actors Ayub Khan, Javed Jafri and Swara Bhaskar and TV artist Shruti Seth offered support to the fasting activist through video messages.

“Doctors have said her condition is ok for the fast. The sample sent in the evening will next tell her exact status,” said an official of the DCW.

“She is not having headache, weakness, pain in abdomen, vomiting etc., worrying signs,” said Dr Atul Gupta, one of the three private physicians looking after the DCW chief, who is sitting on an indefinite fast to press for provisions to ensure death penalty to rapists of children within six months.

A team of doctors from Delhi government-run LNJP are also at the venue in shifts. Both private and government doctors take the readings simultaneously twice and then cross-check to rule out any room for doubt, Dr Gupta added.

The DCW chief said she will wait for a positive response from the PM after he returns from abroad.