Recalling the tragic incident six years ago on December 16, 2012, on the 6th death anniversary of Nirbhaya, Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminding him of the brutal gangrape and murder of Nirbhaya and urged him to take women safety seriously.
In her letter, Maliwal wrote, “It is shameful that till today Nirbhaya has not received justice and thousands of lives like hers are waiting for justice while many more are still living the horrors in their everyday life.”
Maliwal expressed disappointment that the law that states giving death sentence to rapists of children, hasn’t been implemented yet. Earlier this year, on April 13, DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal sat on an indefinite hunger strike demanding death penalty to those convicted of raping girls under the age of 12.
She wrote that despite assurances, police resources and fast track courts have yet to be increased in the country leading to lack of proper implementation of the death penalty law.
She appealed to the PM to immediately set up high level committees in each state consisting of the CM, Chief Justice of High Court, Police Commissioner and Women Commission Chief who would chalk out a road map for implementation of the death penalty law in their states.
Questioning the PM, she asked the reasons for not fulfilling Delhi Police’s demand for 66,000 police forces by the Centre. She asked the reasons for not digitising the police force across the country as well as not creating enough fast track courts.
“Even the funds set aside in the memory of Nirbhaya and in the name of Nirbhaya fund have not been utilised by the Central Government for intended purposes. The fund now rots and is like an unhealed wound for all the other Nirbhaya’s of the nation,” she wrote.
“A committee must be immediately formed comprising of the Chief Minister, High Court Chief Justice, Police Commissioner and Women Commission chairs in all states to implement the law for death penalty to rapists. This will be your true tribute to Nirbhaya if you decide to take this step and my struggle continues until justice is served to each and every Nirbhaya,” Maliwal wrote in her letter to the PM.