Suicide - Illegal or a Right?

20^th December, 2012; the last day of the human race because supposedly the world ends tomorrow. So, the doomsday scare got me thinking- what if I want to end my life before the nature decides to end it for me? What if I kill myself so that I don’t have to face God’s fury? And then it struck me, it is ILLEGAL and socially unacceptable! Why is suicide illegal? And on top of that it is a punishable offence in India. So, if a person’s suicide attempt fails and he survives, he/she will have to face a proceeding in the court of law. As if the failed attempt to end’s one life wasn’t torture enough!

Why is suicide considered illegal? Why is giving life considered a noble deed and taking one’s own life a heinous act? Why is the decision to end my own life, whose sole and whole owner is I, considered unjust? Why is the power to end it not given in my hands when I didn’t even ask for the life? What meaning do the other fundamental rights hold when the basic right to live or die is not in one’s own hands?

When I was given life, no one asked for my permission, I was just born, naked and in tears. So, why should I ask for someone else’s permission before ending my life?! At least I will be at peace and smiling when I end my life on my own will. I see no reason why I should not be allowed to meet my maker when and how I decide to meet Him. If one commits suicide under pressure or threat, it is non-justified, but if one commits suicide just to end the monotonous, bland, unanimated life and for a bigger reason of not receiving the gift of life he/she had been given, I see no harm in it. It will not hamper the balance of the society, nor will it lessen the tolerance level of people. What it will do is give the people a sense of righteousness.

I’m not saying that committing suicide is a wonderful thing and it should be encouraged. We make a lot of relations when we come to this world and we should think about them before taking such a drastic step. All I am trying to say is that people should have the freedom and right to decide when they want to end it, especially in some medical cases where the patient is leading a vegetable life.