Lord Indarjit Singh
of Wimbledon Opposes
The Assisted
Dying Bill in the House of Lords
Cross Bench Life Peer Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon opposed the
Assisted Dying Bill in the House of Lords on 22 October 2021. He said, “True
compassion not only makes life meaningful for both giver and recipient but,
importantly, also nudges society as a whole in a more positive ethical
direction. It is for these reasons that I oppose the Bill.”
Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, said, “My Lords, today we live in an
increasingly selfish and uncaring society, in which euphemisms such as
“assisted dying” for “assisted suicide” and, unbelievably, “compassion” have
all been used to justify a Bill that I believe demeans society and pressurises
the vulnerable to take their own lives.”
Lord Indarjit Singh said, “The moral slide ahead is clearly visible. In
the Netherlands, assisted death is routinely extended to include the disabled,
those with chronic, non-terminal conditions and those with mental health
problems such as dementia and depression. The suffering of the vulnerable is
made worse by those close, making it obvious that their care is an unwanted
chore, particularly by some who stand to inherit property or assets. That was
highlighted by the noble Lord, Lord Tebbit, who has shown years of loving care
and compassion to his injured and disabled wife. During the debate on the 2013
Bill of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, the noble Lord, Lord Tebbit,
said that legislating for assisted suicide “creates too much financial
incentive for the taking of life.”—[Official Report, 18/7/14; col. 789.]
Such pressures are difficult to pick up by doctors and judges.
Lord Indarjit Singh mentioned, “We are all aware of the problem of
climate change, but much less aware of a deteriorating moral climate—a growing
selfishness seen in daily news of violence against the weak and vulnerable.”
Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon said, “Assisting in the killing of our
fellow human beings has been condemned by leaders of all our major faiths,
including, as we have heard, the most reverend Primate, the Archbishop of
Canterbury. Statistics remind us that it is not physical pain but a feeling of
being unwanted and a burden on others that leads to mental suffering and a wish
to die. We have heard conflicting stories about the different views of
religions. In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus Christ reminds us of our
common responsibility to help in alleviating the suffering of our fellow
beings. In Sikhism, the young Guru Nanak spent money given by his father for
investment on food for the starving. Loving care for others, even to the enemy
in battle, is central to Sikh teaching.
Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon concluded, “Finally, I mention the misuse
of the word compassion —unbelievably, used to advance the Bill. The literal
meaning of “compassion” is to show in loving care that we understand and share
in another’s suffering. True compassion not only makes life meaningful for both
giver and recipient but, importantly, also nudges society as a whole in a more
positive ethical direction. It is for these reasons that I oppose the Bill.”
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