The death of the toddler in Indian religious fasting -ritual -spark of outrage and legal review

A child rights authority in India is considering legal steps after a three -year -old girl died with a terminal brain tumor during a religious fasting ritual and has an impression and ethical concerns.

The incident took place in Indore City in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. The minor was initiated on the advice of a religious leader in Santhara, an old and controversial Jain ritual of volunteers for death.

The state commission to protect children's rights said they will examine death and will soon decide whether they recommend the persecution of the parents or the participating monk Hindustan times reported.

Although the incident took place at the end of March, it was only after the Golden Book of the World Records, which was described as a “independent world record authority”, a certificate in which the three-year-old was refused as the youngest person the Jain Ritual Santhara.

According to local media, the child's parents, both IT experts in the early 1930s, to Rajesh Muni Maharaj, a Jain -religious leader, turned to a bad after the health of their daughter.

A brain tumor was diagnosed and subjected to her in January.

Accordingly, she initially improved, but her condition deteriorated again in March.

The doctors then installed an artificial feeding tube on March 21 to give their liquids.

On the same day, the parents consulted Mr. Maharaj, who advised her to choose Santhara.

“Maharaj Ji saw the condition of my daughter and told us that the end of the girl was nearby and that she was supposed to get the Santhara vow. This fast is very important in Jainism. After thinking about it, we finally agreed,” her father told PTI News Agency.

“We did not have the intention of doing her Santhara, but Guruji said her condition was serious and suggested it. Everyone in the family agreed,” he said, “he said,” Ndtv.

“We suffered them. It was a very painful decision,” said her mother. “I want my daughter to be happy in her next birth.”

According to reports, the ritual was carried out on the same day at 9:25 p.m. at the Ashram of the monk in Indore. The child died 40 minutes later at 10:05 p.m.

Santhara, also known as Sallekhana or Samadhi Maran, is a religious practice in Jainism, in which his followers, generally older or seriously ill, voluntarily give up food and water in order to accept death through spiritual cleaning.

Practice is rooted in the basic principles of the religion of Ahimsa or non -violence and replacement of the physical world and is considered a means by followers to drop in karmic bonds and to obtain liberation.

Santhara was the subject of a considerable debate in India. In 2015, the Rajasthan High Court decided the practice illegally, equalized it with suicide and made it punishable according to the Criminal Code.

The decision triggered widespread protests from Jain, which argued that Santhara was a voluntary religious act that differs from suicide.

The Supreme Court then held the decision of the High Court and effectively allowed the practice until a further legal review was still passed on.

The application of Santhara to minors triggers particularly complex ethical and legal concerns. Legal experts point out that minors are missing the ability to make sound decisions about life and death. In addition, Indian constitution guarantees life in accordance with Article 21. While Article 25 provides for freedom of religion, the right to public order, morality and health is subject.

“The decision of the life and death of a minor is not even with the parents. This raises a serious legal and constitutional question: Can Santhara be managed in the event of a minor who cannot understand death legally or emotionally? Article 25 grants the freedom of religion, but not even religious practices cannot overdo the legal right of the Lawyer Rites.

For his defense, NDTV reported, Mr. Maharaj claimed that the deceased child “corresponds to the religious understanding of a 50-year-old”.

So far, he has led over 100 people to the Santhara vow.

“This is a religious practice for fully conscious adults, usually older people,” said Omkar Singh, member of the state child law commission, the Hindustan times.

“The toddler may not have been able to agree. We check whether this is a violation of child protection laws and will act accordingly.”

A high -ranking doctor who is familiar with the case informed the newspaper that the child had been in a hospital, received palliative care.

“The child was already in a critical condition. Santhara is an enormous physical and psychological torture even for an adult. A toddler cannot understand or withstand such an action,” said the doctor.

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