India: More Calls For Medicalized Killing

The drumbeat for legalizing euthanasia in India continues, the latest coming from an elderly schoolteacher who petitioned the state for killing but was turned down. We’ll see more and more of these reports in the future masquerading as “honest debate” on the issue.

'With time, India will accept mercy killing'

H B Karibasamma is hopeful that India will make euthanasia legal, like in some countries in the West.

The 73-year-old retired primary school teacher who has been suffering from various health problems for the past 14 years had written to the President and Prime Minister seeking permission for euthanasia. However, on Wednesday the high court rejected her plea based on reports by neurosurgical and psychiatric experts from Nimhans that she does not suffer any pain or severe ailment.
"As a retired teacher I manage with my pension. But others who are poor and do not have money should not suffer like me. How will they cope if they are poor?" she asks.

She recently collected over 1,500 euthanasia supporting letters from retired state government employees, and another 10,000 letters from people from other walks of life. "My 14-year struggle for this new law may become fruitful in the future with these letters," she contended. more