NEW DELHI — India’s government on Saturday approved of the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under 12, responding to widespread outrage over recent attacks on children.

An order was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet and was being sent to the president for his approval. It will require the approval of Parliament within six months to become law.

In the meantime, suspects can be prosecuted under the order.

The move follows widespread outrage over the recent rape and killing of an 8-year-old girl in India’s Jammu-Kashmir state, the alleged rape of a girl by a ruling party lawmaker in Uttar Pradesh state and several other rape cases involving girls in the country.

Many protesters expressed particular anger at India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party for initially siding with the accused in the Kashmir case.

The young victim was a Muslim and the accused are Hindus.