DCW chief Swati Maliwal faints during hunger strike, hospitalised

Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal, who was on an indefinite hunger strike demanding capital punishment for rapists within six months of their conviction, was taken to a hospital after she lost consciousness in the morning.

Swati Maliwal was put on IV (intravenous) at Lok Narayan Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital here on Sunday.

"The doctors had earlier told Swati to step back from the strike as there is a high chance of Kidney failure. Today, when she gained her conscious for a minute, she said she will continue with the strike. The doctors are continuously requesting her to step back. The doctors had said that if she does not understand then forcefully she will be put on IV (intravenous)," a member of DCW Vandana Singh told ANI.

"Earlier in the day, she was shifted to a special ward but she has been adamant about continuing with the strike. Today was the 13th day of her strike," she added.

On Saturday she wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that she will not break her fast until Andhra Pradesh's 'Disha' law is enacted throughout the country.

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Friday passed the Disha Bill, 2019, which provides for awarding death sentence for the offences of rape and gang-rape and expediting trials of such cases within 21 days.