Pune Speak Up: Live and let die?

Only for extreme cases like Aruna Shanbaug...Passive euthanasia should be allowed in some exceptional cases like Aruna Shanbaug, where she has been living in a vegetative state for years. Central government has rightly said that a subject like euthanasia need to be debated and then a mature decision should be taken. In our country laws can be misused to suit people with criminal minds. For example, in Germany history during the Hitler reign, the same euthanasia rule was misused to get rid of older people in camps. In extreme cases like the Aruna Shanbaug, euthanasia should be allowed after a lot of legal documentation and consent of a special board at every level. Even if passive euthanasia law is allowed in our country after debate, there should be lot of restrictions and controls and out of influence of any political agencies.Dr CB Koppiker, Managing Trustee and Director, Prashanti Cancer Care MissionWe cannot play god in some cases...The issue to allow passive euthanasia in India should be debated in the Parliament and with the consent of an expert team. Our democracy is still not mature enough to have a law like euthanasia. Such an act can be easily misused rather than its proper utilization. It could come out with horrendous results. You should not become tyrannical under the act. We have to understand that we cannot play god in some cases and such a sensitive law will come with lot of responsibility. Human life is very precious. People should get aware of the subject matter. In the case of Aruna Shanbaug, the High Court rejected the plea for euthanasia. However I feel the Shanbaug case is exceptional and in such exceptions we should allow euthanasia. The problem in India is that laws are not meant for the good of people, they are only for the benefit of few.NS Nyayapathi, Founder Trustee, Care India Medical SocietyPeople have the right to choose...The Right to Life under Article 21 of the constitution has a positive connotation to it and people often do not like interpreting it in a negative way. Death however has a negative connotation and euthanasia is a part of it. Because it has a negative connotation it is against out culture and religion as well. If it does get legalised there might be some who misuse the law. People also have the right to die with dignity and making euthanasia illegal takes this right away. If someone is terminally ill then and has been so for a really long time, then they should be given the choice to live or to die. Any death that is willful should not be banned. We should have a system in place where people can exercise their their vote on a matter like this. A committee can be set up by the Central Government and people can apply to be the committee if they choose to end their life. There a lot of cases where with mutual consent between the families and the doctors.Asim Sarode, Huma Rights ActivistIf science agrees then allow it..People have been suffering for years together and it is for these people that passive euthanasia should be legalised. If there is no chance of improvement and this condition of the patient is verified by experts then it is a question of giving the person the right to make his or her own choice. They should be allowed to die with dignity if they wish to do so. There are a lot of patients who wish to continue to fight and still have some kind of hope and for them, the scenario is different. If a life of quality cannot be delivered to the individual with proper medical care and there is absolutely no chance of improvement then it should be left to the patient and for this sole purpose passive euthanasia should be legalised. The Supreme Court should make the decision after considering all the aspects and give a well rounded approach to the law that they pass. If science agrees the patient should be allowed to die.Yashwant Nankar, President, Indian Society for Study of PainHigh chances of law being misused...There are chances that if permitted, the legalisation of passive euthanasia might be misused, nonetheless for the patients who are suffering terribly it is a necessity. A committee of doctors should be asked to make the decision for those who either apply or fall under this category and they should do so by adhering to certain norms that should be pre-decided. These norms should include aspects like the number of years that the person if suffering, the kind of illness, if there is a cure or not and other factors. It should definitely not be just a general law that is passed, otherwise a lot of people especially in a country like India where people get upset and fight over trivial issues, there are high chances that the law might be misused.Dr Jetendra Ahuja (, Retd Colonel), Palliative Care Doctor, Cancer Patients