Decriminalising suicide a step in right direction

new delhi — India likes controversies. Indian media especially so. Positive news is viewed with suspicion: Could it be real? Whose interests does it best serve?

As a result, one of the best reform packages that the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of parliament) passed recently has not been subject to sufficient discussion. Or appreciated enough.

The reforms had to do with mental health, and they are among the great initiatives sponsored by the Narendra Modi government.

It is unlikely that when life is at its lowest tide, one has not toyed with the idea of suicide. The great Albert Camus said suicide was the biggest philosophical question of the 20th century. He weighed the pros and cons, and chose a life of action.

As a writer posted on FB last week: “I have often thought of suicide, but I forgive myself as this is a depressing country, and what if I fail?” He was referring to India. One of the tragicomic aspects of taking life into one’s own hands in India is that if you fail in the bid, you would have to pay a fine and spend up to one year in jail.

The new bill decriminalises attempted suicide. It also states that psychiatric care is a guaranteed right to all Indians, and promises sufficient funds to ensure it.

Human rights activists have for long campaigned for compassion in the transaction — people depressed enough to be driven to attempt suicide need emotional support and care, not punitive measures.

But, in India, the victim faced humiliation and shame for not carrying out the act successfully, leading him/her to further isolation.

Decriminalising suicide bids is another way of admitting that depression is an ailment that needs treatment. This in turn demands funds.

Mental health constituted a mere 0.6 per cent of India’s health budget in 2011. In other comparable economies it is 1.9 per cent.

India’s suicide rate is among the highest in the world. Straitened circumstances, lack of employment, and affairs of the heart are the primary causes for suicide.

These would normally elicit a course of action based on mental health care and financial support. In India, however, these often translate to an impulse of self-destruction. There are voluntarily run ‘suicide helplines’, but often patients are too despairing or shy to get in effective touch.

Generally speaking, across the world, suicide rate goes up with age. In India, the young (under 30) attempt it with greater frequency. That India is the youngest country in the world adds to the irony.