Jain 'Santhara' Ritual of Fast Unto Death Can Continue for Now, Says Court
What does Santhara mean?
Sallekhanā (also Santhara, Samadhi-marana,Sanyasana-marana) is the last vow prescribed by the Jain ethical code of conduct. The vow of sallekhanā is observed by the Jain ascetics and lay votaries at the end of their life by gradually reducing the intake of food and liquids. Sallekhanā is allowed when normal life according to religion is not possible due to old age, incurable disease or when a person is nearing his end. It is a highly respected practice among the members of the Jain community. According to Jain texts,sallekhanā leads to ahimsā (non-violence or non-injury), as a person observing sallekhanāsubjugates the passions, which are the root cause of hiṃsā (injury or violence). In 2015, Rajasthan High Court banned the practice calling it suicide. On 31 August 2015,Supreme Court of India stayed the decision of Rajasthan High Court and lifted the ban onsallekhana.
For now, a tradition of Jains that sees themselves starving to death has been permitted by the Supreme Court.
Last month, the Rajasthan High Court said that the voluntary custom of "santhara" is a form of suicide and therefore illegal. Last week, thousands of Jains held a demonstration in Jaipur carrying banners that read "Suicide is crime. Santhara is religion."
A group of petitions challenging the High Court's order said that it impeded upon religious freedom as guaranteed by the constitution.
As part of their religion, Jains can take a vow to give up food and water as a way of embracing death. It is unclear how many deaths occur every year but local media put the number at a couple of hundred.
The High Court verdict was based on a petition by an activist in Rajasthan who argued the practice was against the law. He questioned whether elderly Jains were being encouraged to take the vow to free families of the burden of taking care of them, an argument Jains deny.
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