It is sad that the news of another 'Sallekhana'--a Jain fasting to death--was largely ignored. The Jain woman decided to go for sallekhana and despite knowing that it would end end in her death, this form of suicide was ignored.
The media either chose to keep silent or put it as a small item in the bizarre/weird news. There were no editorials written on Sallekahana. Perhaps, no one wants to take on the prosperous Jain community. Ratan Bai, a Jain nun, took her own life. Thousands came from Bhopal, Vidisha and neighbouring districts to see her last days. The grandiose fucntion glorifying death was observed.
Recently there was a sallekhana in Agra. Before that in Himachal Pradesh. The nuns or the asetic give up food and even water leading to their death--which is consdiered the most pious of deaths. Had such a custom been associated with any other religion, Hindu, Muslim, Chrisitian or Buddhist, it would have received flak from all quarters. Such retrogressive customs that need to be castigated are ignored by all media.
