Fast-to-death ritual banned

A interesting article brought to our collective attention via Hemant Mehta in which he offers his personal insights concerning the religion of his birth:

One of those harmful beliefs is fasting. While religions like Islam say that, during Ramadan, you’re not supposed to eat during daylight hours, some followers of Jainism promote fasting for long stretches at a time. I’ve known people to eat nothing (except boiled water that’s cooled off) for more than a week. I know someone who ate food one day, then nothing the next day, for a full year. My mom still has days when she limits herself to eating only once. It’s a way to show you’re in control of your body and that your mind is focused on prayer.

 In the end Hemant does ask a pertinent question,

If you believe people have the right to die on their own terms — as some terminally ill people have fought for and many atheists support — shouldn’t Jains who want to starve to death have the right to do so without their family getting punished for it?

One that is also alluded to in the attached, 

According to the Jain text Ratnakarandsravakacare, Santhara is permitted to the old, those afflicted with an incurable disease and those faced with a drought or grave physical danger.

It's supposed to be the ultimate route to moksha - freedom from the cycle of life and death. Most of those who sit on Santhara draw crowds seeking a darshan and blessings and are honoured with huge funeral processions.

"I personally believe in Santhara. That is something you do in the last stages of your life when you think it is time to leave the world and cleanse yourself of all the bad karma," said Ravi Jain, 38, a chartered accountant in Calcutta.

Fast-to-death ritual banned