Question

The popular petition filed by Pinki Virani on behalf of Aruna Shanbaug, a K.E.M. Hospital nurse was related to:

• A. Acid attack
• B. Euthanasia
• C. Medical Termination of Pregnancy
• D. Decriminalization of Homosexuality

Hint:

The Aruna Shanbaug case led to the legal recognition of Passive Euthanasia in India in 2011.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:

• Aruna Shanbaug was a nurse who remained in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) for 42 years after a brutal sexual assault.
• The case became a landmark in Indian legal history regarding the "Right to Die with Dignity."

Step 1: Recall the facts of the case
Pinki Virani, a journalist and activist, filed a petition in the Supreme Court as the "next friend" of Aruna Shanbaug. The petition argued that Aruna was "virtually dead" and that keeping her alive via a feeding tube was a violation of her dignity.

Step 2: Identify the legal prayer
The petition specifically asked for the withdrawal of life support, which is a form of euthanasia. This was done because there was no hope of recovery from her vegetative state.

Step 3: Analyze the Supreme Court Judgment (2011)
In Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India, the court rejected the plea for Aruna specifically (due to the hospital staff's care) but laid down guidelines for Passive Euthanasia in India. It ruled that the withdrawal of life support for terminally ill or PVS patients is permissible under strict judicial monitoring.

Step 4: Conclusion
The petition was fundamentally about Euthanasia.