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Will do any sacrifice for tougher law for rape: Maliwal
New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal, who is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding a stringent law against rapists, continued it for the seventh day on Thursday, saying she is ready to sacrifice anything to get her demands accepted.
“The Prime Minister during his speech in London said a rape is rape, it shouldn’t be politicised. But, I want to know who is then politicising it? We (DCW) are not politicising it.
“We want implementation of a law which punishes convicted rapists within six months. I request him to take some action instead of providing verbal assurance,” Maliwal, 33, said at Raj Ghat where she is sitting on protest.
Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D. Raja joined Maliwal on the seventh day and questioned Modi’s “politicising recent rape incidents” comment and promised the DCW chief of raising the issue in Parliament in monsoon session.
In a letter to Modi written last week, the DCW chief said: “I will not break my ‘anshan’ (fast) until the Prime Minister promises the country a better system for the safety of our daughters.”
As a mark of protest against the recent rape incidents in Kathua and Unnao, Maliwal launched her hunger strike at Raj Ghat last week.
The civil society also extended their support to Maliwal, saying they were with her in strongly and unequivocally condemning the brutality of rapes.
However, it also appealed her to withdraw her indefinite hunger strike, saying there was no evidence to suggest that death penalty acted as a deterrent to rape.
“Death penalty is often used to distract attention away from the real issue — it changes nothing but becomes a tool in the hands of the state to further exert its power over its citizens. A huge set of changes are required in the system to end the widespread and daily culture of rape,” it said in a statement.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.