Suicide attempt victims need counselling not punishment: Narendra Modi

With the government deciding to decriminalise attempt to suicide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said those who take the extreme step of ending their life need counselling and not punishment.

"Why does a person commit suicide? The person who attempts suicide does not need punishment but counselling and empathy," Modi told an election rally while campaigning for BJP candidate in Kathua. Attempt to suicide that was punishable by a one-year jail term is no longer a crime with the government deciding to remove Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code(IPC) to decriminalise the offence.

"The problems of the person who attempts to take the extreme step, need to be understood. He/she is to be counselled by parents, brothers and sisters that this path is not right. Don't commit suicide it is will not end your problems," Modi said, adding that this law will not be allowed to continue in the country. "Small things bring big changes," he said.

The Prime Minister was addressing his sixth rally in his fourth visit to the state for poll campaign. Modi said, "If anyone commits a crime and gets punishment it is ok. But in our country, if any person becomes unsuccessful in his attempt (to commit suicide) he would still get punished... We took up the issue and held discussion with all states and stamped out the law".