Sunday, September 20, 2015

SC stays Rajasthan HC’s decision declaring ‘Santhara’ ritual illegal

On August 10, 2015 Rajasthan High Court ordered by declaring that Santhara as illegal, the practice, which involves voluntary fast-unto-death, illegal and an offence punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
  • But the Supreme Court stayed the order passed by Rajasthan High Court declaring Santhara as illegal.
  • Santhara is a Jain custom of embracing voluntary death – it involves practitioners taking an oath to stop eating until they die of starvation. According to Jains, this is a way to purge oneself of bad ‘karma’ and attain ‘moksha’.
  • The Bench was hearing a batch of petitions filed by various religious bodies of Jain community members against the High Court order on Santhara.

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