75 living wills seek passive euthanasia in Mumbai, numbers expected to rise
Mumbai: Mumbai’s civic body has received 75 notarised living wills from individuals seeking passive euthanasia in the event of irreversible coma or terminal illness, following a recent court-approved case that renewed focus on end-of-life decisions.
Officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were quoted by Madhyamam as saying that the documents have been submitted in accordance with the legal position permitting passive euthanasia but added that there are no detailed operational guidelines for implementation.
Applicants have specified that life support may be withdrawn if they are left with no prospect of recovery due to serious illness or accident. The civic body is maintaining the documents in safe custody.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde was quoted by Madyamam, that while the corporation is authorised to hold such letters, it does not have the mandate to execute them. “Any patient who submits an euthanasia letter, we keep it safely, but its implementation is the responsibility of the family. The court has allowed us to hold these letters, but we cannot execute them ourselves,” she said.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling legalising passive euthanasia under certain conditions, ward-level medical officers have been tasked with monitoring submissions. Maharashtra authorities are also considering the creation of an online portal to streamline the filing process.
The recent surge in living wills comes after the death of 31-year-old Harish Rana at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. Rana had remained in a coma since 2013 after falling from the fourth floor of a building while he was an engineering student. His parents approached the court and obtained permission to withdraw life support.
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India dismisses report of Musk joining Modi-Trump call; says it was between 2 leaders only
New Delhi (PTI): India on Saturday rejected a media report that said billionaire Elon Musk joined a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump earlier this week.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Tuesday's conversation was between the two leaders only.
The New York Times, quoting unnamed US officials, reported that Musk participated in the call between Trump and Modi, adding it was an "unusual appearance" by a private citizen on a call between two heads of state.
"We have seen the story. The telephone conversation on March 24 was between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump only," Jaiswal said.
"As has been stated earlier, it provided the opportunity for exchange of views on the situation in West Asia," he said.
In its report, the New York Times said it is "unclear" why Musk was on the call or whether he spoke.
Our prime minister only spoke to Trump and there was no one else who spoke to the PM, people familiar with the matter said.
They suggested that it is for Washington to clarify if somebody else was in the room or listening to the conversation.
The New York Times said Musk's participation in the phone call signalled a reconciliation between the billionaire and Trump.
The two had fallen out last year following Musk's exit from a government task force charged with slashing the federal workforce.
The US president had initiated the phone call with Modi to discuss the West Asia crisis.
It was the first conversation between the two leaders since the West Asia conflict began on February 28.
In the conversation, Modi underlined the importance of ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible, noting that it is vital for global peace, stability and economic well-being.
