I must confess that I sometimes find it hard to grasp what this hoopla about abortion really is. Let me make my stand clear first. Of course my opinions are limited only to India where the issues related to abortion are different than in the West and unfortunately, have never been one of the issues that dominate the elections.

I am for strict implementation of laws against abortions conducted at shady clinics, abortions of female foetus and late abortions that might result in the death of or damage to the health of the mother.

Looking at the incidents of newborn babies being dumped in garbage cans where they are an easy prey for rodents, I am convinced that in India unwanted pregrancies should be allowed to be terminated lawfully and safely. It’s better not to bring the child into this world if he/she is going to end up in a garbage can or orphanage eventually. :-(

Finally, if it can be detected that a child has some kind of disease that will prevent his/her leading a normal fruitful life then the pregnancy should be terminated safely, if possible. I can understand that parents are emotionally attached to the yet unborn child. They are willing to shoulder the lifelong responsibility and many times are quite capable of doing so. But life doesn’t come with guarantee cards attached. God forbid, if something happens to the parents there isn’s any social security in this country which will take care of such a child.

I suspect though that the whole debate in the US isn’t about these practicalities but more from the religious angle of being responsible for terminating a life. It’s more like God wanted this child to be born like this and who are we to interfere with His plans. Even the tenets of Hinduism would say that since we can’t give life we don’t have a right to take life away. Then there is the argument about the soul taking birth to live out his/her Karma. Again, who are we to interfere with this plan?

So, like many other questions in life, this one doesn’t have any clear answers.But then life’s questions were never of objective type anyways!