THREAT OF FAST UNTO DEATH FOR ANY CAUSE COERCIVE-by N.S.Venkataraman
Death inevitably happens to all humans due to natural cause or unnatural cause like accidents.
However, occasionally , some people also commit suicide due to immatured reaction to certain events or emotional outbursts with short sightedness. All religions disapprove such suicide acts .
There are also some occasions, when some people seek permission to die( known as euthanasia). Most countries do not consider euthanasia as appropriate.
Obviously, the general consensus view is that no human has the right to end his / her life voluntarily .
During the past few decades, , particularly in India , some activists or politicians have gone on , what is known as “indefinite fast “ demanding implementation of one regulation or the other or what they term as some injustice done that need to be rectified by the government. However, it is seen that in most such cases, the so called fast unto death do not lead to death but the person undergoing the fast give up the fast, based on some appeal or in rare occasions when their demand is yielded.
Of course, Mahatma Gandhi gave a certain element of respectability to the act of resorting to fast due to personal or social reasons. This seem to have created a trend for later day politicians and activists to indulge in fasting for any reason.
The admirers of Mahatma Gandhi describe his fast as sort of self purification exercise or self indictment due to some unholy developments or violence , which Mahatma Gandhi could not control.
In recent time, Anna Hazare made a big show in India of fast unto death , protesting against the prevalence of corruption in government machinery and administration and demanding anti corruption laws. The fast ended with Anna Hazare getting certain vague assurances. But, now there is no change in the corrupt conditions in the society. Some of the activists who supported Anna Hazare later on became full fledged politicians , won elections on the pretext of fighting against corruption and then they themselves ended by being accused of indulging in corruption.
There have been very very few incidents of activists or politicians losing their life due to “ fast unto death”.
Due to repeated incidents of threat of fast unto death , particularly in India, the concept of fasting for a cause is now getting to be considered as some cheap tactics for motivated reasons.
Generally, when anyone goes for fast for a long period , the fasting person is viewed with sympathy by the people. However, when fasting is done for political reasons and as a part of provoking mass upheavel and social tension, it should be considered as coercive tactics , unethical and condemnable.
Several religions advocate fasting on occasions as desirable way of getting mental enlightenment and sometimes also needed for good health.
However, those who go for fast for political cause or to force events in their favour are misusing the concept of fasting , that Mahatma Gandhi made it a respectable and noble act.
