Viral image of Swati Maliwal's hunger strike dates back to 2018

"The woman seen in the picture is Swati Malaival. She is fasting for the past 8 days in Delhi. Do you know why? To hang the offenders of rape. This protest is not being shown by any media. So lets us spread this word in the common man's platform Social Media (sic)," reads its English translation.

Archive links: https://web.archive.org/web/20210921012655/https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D2150925238379453

Fact Check:

The claim is MISLEADING.

When searched using Google reverse image search, we found that the girl in the viral image is Swati Malival from Delhi.

Swati Maliwal was on the hunger strike to push for stricter rape laws including the death penalty. This followed a series of horrific attacks on young girls.

This incident occurred in April 2018.

According to CNN.com, Swati is the chief of the Delhi Commission of Women. She staged a hunger strike lying on an outdoor stage in temperatures reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) in northeast Delhi.

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/18/asia/india-bjp-rape-law-hunger-strike-intl/index.html

According to Firstpost.com, Maliwal, 33, launched the protest at Raj Ghat in the wake of the rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua districts.

Slamming the Delhi Police for trying to end her strike, Maliwal said private doctors on Monday examined her and the reports suggest that she can continue the hunger strike. Maliwal, who is having only water during her fast, has lost two kilos in three days, according to a DCW member.

https://www.firstpost.com/india/dcw-chief-swati-maliwal-continues-hunger-strike-against-unnao-kathua-rape-incidents-for-fourth-day-4433749.html

Swati Maliwal ended the strike after President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated an ordinance to give stringent punishment including the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, new fast-track courts will be set up to deal with rape cases and special forensic kits will be provided to all police stations and hospitals in the long run.

The ordinance stipulates stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape, particularly of girls below 12 and 16 years. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls less than 12 years, officials said while quoting the ordinance.

Ending her fast, Maliwal said, "Everyday children aged three, four, or six years are getting raped in a brutal manner. I wrote letters and issued notices. I even submitted 5.5 lakh letters written by citizens to the prime minister but in vain."

https://www.news18.com/news/politics/swati-maliwal-ends-hunger-strike-terms-ordinance-a-historic-victory-1725973.html

Therefore, a hunger strike by Swati Maliwal in 2018 is being shared as recent.