Journey of Euthanasia

Euthanasia in India and the World

What is euthanasia?
This means to take deliberate actions of ending life to relieve persistent or unstoppable suffering or pain.
Euthanasia has two main variations
1. Involuntary euthanasia
2. voluntary euthanasia

Involuntary euthanasia- it is conducted without the consent of patient because the patient is incapable of doing so. It is illegal all over the world and sometimes considered murder.

Voluntary euthanasia- it is conducted with the consent of the patient.

On the basis of procedure, euthanasia is further divided into two ie.
1. Active euthanasia
2. Passive euthanasia

Active euthanasia : lethal substances are used to end patient's life either by patient or by somebody else.

Passive euthanasia : life supporting system and drugs are withheld and patient is left to die own.

Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Netherland, Colombia, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, belgium, Luxembourg, Estonia, Albania, some states of USA and Canada.
Everyone in India didn't know about euthanasia but When people came to know about the case of Arun shanbaug who had been in a vegetative state for 42 years at King Edward hospital.
Pinki virani, her friend and social activist filed a petition in Supreme Court arguing that "continued existence of Aruna is in violation of her right to live in dignity" and here lies the fundamental right therefore in march 2011 SC passed a historic judgement permitting passive euthanasia in India.

Ms Aruna shanbaug was a nurse working at the King Edaward Memorial hospital, parel, Mumbai. On 27 Nov 1973 she was strangled and sodomized by Sohanlal walmiki, a  ward sweeper.

The heartrending story of Aruna shook the whole nation and tears rolled on cheeks seeing her pathetic condition. She breathed last on 18 may 2015.
Aruna's case sparked debate in media and among masses over the issue of euthanasia. Some argued that man has no right to take away the life of man and some some supported euthanasia on the lines of constitutional right to live with dignity.
Highly paradoxical situation it was but the SC took mid way however active euthanasia isn't legal in India because Indian laws don't permit to do so.

When shri Ram killed Ravana, before dying Ravana paid gratitude to Shri Ram for taking him out of this world and giving him moksha (emancipation) this incident shows us that every killing act doesn't give pain to victim but sometimes relieves pain also.

The most qualitative creation of God is none other than man and this is the man only that has defined God, it looks like fruit are challenging the tree itself. If this isn't not the case why God has given us brain, mind or conscience. Human mind has no limits, no bounds to lead man to unforeseen jouney and legalising passive euthanasia is just one of the milestones in this journey.