Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Aruna at last dies the formal death' that was published in Newsband

Aruna at last dies the formal death

After the brutal rape and strangulation that left her comatose, for more than four long decades, Aruna Shanbaug lay like a vegetable in an isolated room. Death finally came as a release to her.

Journalist and author Pinki Virani fought alone for the rights of “a body that is not alive but refuses to die”.

The true compassion lies in letting go of people who are brain-dead. Everyone has a right to a dignified death just as each one has a right to dignified life.

While everyone were debating about whether Aruna should live or die, how come no one is talking about the quantum of punishment given to the accused, a person who destroyed the life of a Nurse. He was given a 6 year sentence while Aruna had to suffer for the next 42 years.

Despite her vegetative state, the people who could have let her die peacefully didn't let her go. Why? Because they could not face a guilty conscience! But who suffers the consequences? Let euthanasia be legal. Let's end the struggle and let people go with dignity.

It is important to note that euthanasia is legal in developed countries and it should be used for such cases. However, we need to get away from the social stigma and focus on the well being of the patient and his/her family and friends. Even if we love our close ones, it is really tough financially and emotionally to retain the same amount of love and care. Aruna was an exception as well as lucky to be a nurse by profession. But most of Indian families cannot afford to keep alive such patients. The sufferings of the patients should also end by euthanasia.

The medical and legal world should come together in finding out a legally and medically fit solution in handling such patients who become a burden physically and financially to the aides.

When the SC permitted passive euthanasia in this particular case, and when the family members of Aruna herself ago in the matter, what was there for her loving colleagues to keep her ' neither living, nor refusing to die' body in that state for more than four long decades? They had done a great disservice, by perpetuating the trauma of Aruna's family members for such a long period. The lesson from this protracted agony to many is that the court's order and the family's willingness for passive euthanasia must prevail over all other influencing factors, in such rarest of rare cases. Is it not more sensible to make many in the society suffer a few days grief rather than creating conditions for grieving for more than four decades?