DCW Chief ends fast after Cabinet approves death penalty for child rapists

DCW chief Swati Maliwal on Sunday ended her indefinite fast after the Union Cabinet on Saturday approved an ordinance to award death sentence to rapists of children below 12 years of age.

Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike for past nine days at Rajghat in New Delhi.

Earlier on Saturday, the DCW chief said she would not end her fast until something concrete happens to ensure the safety of a girl child.

Taking to Twitter, Maliwal said, ''I will continue the fast until the ordinance is passed. Also, police resources and accountability needs to be increased. Really sad that some channels are playing false news that I have broken the fast. Praying to all news channels conscience to kindly not report the fake news.''

Earlier, the Union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the death penalty for those convicted of raping children up to 12 years.

The move seeking the death penalty for child rapists comes in the backdrop of nationwide outrage over the brutal rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, the alleged rape of a minor in Unnao by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, and rising anger over a spate of such incidents being reported over the past few weeks.