Should The State Intervene In Religious Practices?
Fasting has been an integral part of organized religion in India. Sometimes fasting is undertaken for the betterment of worldly life and at times for renunciation of material comfort. But the 'Lakshman Rekha' was breached when Aradhana Samdhariya - a 13-year-old girl - suffered a fatal heart attack after completing a fast that lasted 68 days. Her death shocked the country, as her funeral procession was turned into a 'shobha yatra' in an attempt by her community to extol her virtues. It was only after the Child Rights Organizations filed a complaint that a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was registered against the Jain teen's parents.
