‘LIVING WILL’ SHINES BEACON OF HOPE

Afive-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, on March 9, legalised the right to die and approved ‘living will’ made by terminally-ill patients for passive euthanasia.

The CJI in his judgement quoted Tennyson who in one of his works said, “No life that breathes with human breath has ever truly longed for death.” With this judgement India has joined a league of select countries where passive euthanasia has been accorded legal sanctity.

The need to change euthanasia laws was triggered by the famous Aruna Shanbaug case. In the 538page judgment, the court laid down a set of guidelines for “living will” and defined passive euthanasia and euthanasia as well. The rights of a patient would not fall out of the purview of Article 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Indian Constitution. With this judgment India could soon move forward and legalising mercy killing too.

I am deeply grateful to the Supreme Court of India for upholding the landmark judgment of March, 2011 on passive euthanasia. — PINKI VIRANI, who sought mercy killing for Aruna Shanbaug

It is important to focus on individual cases rather than personal faith i.e. religion. Mostly it is the patient’s attenders who agree to keep patients in a vegetative state. In most cases, even the best medical care does not increase their quality of life. But our society is afraid to play God. They cannot emotionally accept that they have to pull the plug. — DR VIJAY ANAND REDDY, director of Apollo Cancer Institute

The right of life is in the hands of God. It was not acceptable for anyone who believes in humanity to kill a person suffering from old age or sickness due to sympathy. — ARCHBISHOP SOOSA PAIKAM, president, Kerala Catholic Bishop Conference