Belgium became the first country in the world to allow terminally ill children of any age the right to die by euthanasia after passing a historic law Thursday. As expected, the law passed the Belgian lower parliamentary house by 86 votes to 44 with 12 abstentions, according to a Reuters report. The law allows doctors to kill a child if they and their parents consent, and there is thought to be no treatment for their intense suffering. They must also be assessed by a psychologist and be “capable of discernment.” One man in the public gallery shouted “murderers” in French when the vote was passed after what had been a heated debate between lawmakers the previous day, according to Reuters.

To become entrenched in law, the bill needs to be signed by the country’s monarch, King Philippe, but this is seen as a formality.Euthanasia, the act of a doctor directly killing a patient, has seen a rapid rise in popularity for adults in Belgium, where it was legalized in 2002. The Netherlands and Luxembourg are the only countries where the practice is legal.

On domestic front: UP is a matter of extreme pride for Modi-Shah combine so they avoided Bihar like risk in UP. Modi’s mega personality and development agenda apart, he made a dig wherein he felt that it was good enough to get a few additional votes through the polarization angle, and he created history. In Yogi they have an equally high voltage man; making him CM of the largest state of India immediately gives him national limelight. Modi-Yogi combine will ensure no opposition and we will possibly see a UP type wipe out at national level, that’s the worst thing for democracy. A strong opposition is always a must in any democracy. There is a common saying that absolute power, inevitably corrupts, Indian democracy needs a national leader to stand opposite them for the good of the country.

That leaves us with depleted Congress. At national level, they are all but wiped out. Rahul just won’t be able to match up with Modi. However all their leaders agree with a narrative of complete decimation of Congress party the moment a Gandhi name is not at the top in Congress, that’s the DNA of their party? Rajiv, Sonia and even Rahul had been reluctant politicians. Surely, Congress party have groomed several outstanding leaders in the past but all of them carry the physiological terror of high command culture, hence all big names lack self confidence in their own ability to lead the party. Then there is a second option post Vajpayee era, BJP had kept Varun Gandhi reserved as their Gandhi card in case a Gandhi ever gave them a real opposition. Now they find him useless as they have realized to counter a Gandhi you don’t need another Gandhi anymore. They have Modis and Yogis. In the current battles of personalities all over the world, Varun being a bit right wing has always an edge - given its potential to generate a lot of votes from the segment that doesn’t understand logic.

—Prashant Tewari Editor-in-Chief

Belgium became the first country in the world to allow terminally ill children of any age the right to die by euthanasia after passing a historic law Thursday. As expected, the law passed the Belgian lower parliamentary house by 86 votes to 44 with 12 abstentions, according to a Reuters report. The law allows doctors to kill a child if they and their parents consent, and there is thought to be no treatment for their intense suffering. They must also be assessed by a psychologist and be “capable of discernment.” One man in the public gallery shouted “murderers” in French when the vote was passed after what had been a heated debate between lawmakers the previous day, according to Reuters.

To become entrenched in law, the bill needs to be signed by the country’s monarch, King Philippe, but this is seen as a formality.Euthanasia, the act of a doctor directly killing a patient, has seen a rapid rise in popularity for adults in Belgium, where it was legalized in 2002. The Netherlands and Luxembourg are the only countries where the practice is legal.

On domestic front: UP is a matter of extreme pride for Modi-Shah combine so they avoided Bihar like risk in UP. Modi’s mega personality and development agenda apart, he made a dig wherein he felt that it was good enough to get a few additional votes through the polarization angle, and he created history. In Yogi they have an equally high voltage man; making him CM of the largest state of India immediately gives him national limelight. Modi-Yogi combine will ensure no opposition and we will possibly see a UP type wipe out at national level, that’s the worst thing for democracy. A strong opposition is always a must in any democracy. There is a common saying that absolute power, inevitably corrupts, Indian democracy needs a national leader to stand opposite them for the good of the country.

That leaves us with depleted Congress. At national level, they are all but wiped out. Rahul just won’t be able to match up with Modi. However all their leaders agree with a narrative of complete decimation of Congress party the moment a Gandhi name is not at the top in Congress, that’s the DNA of their party? Rajiv, Sonia and even Rahul had been reluctant politicians. Surely, Congress party have groomed several outstanding leaders in the past but all of them carry the physiological terror of high command culture, hence all big names lack self confidence in their own ability to lead the party. Then there is a second option post Vajpayee era, BJP had kept Varun Gandhi reserved as their Gandhi card in case a Gandhi ever gave them a real opposition. Now they find him useless as they have realized to counter a Gandhi you don’t need another Gandhi anymore. They have Modis and Yogis. In the current battles of personalities all over the world, Varun being a bit right wing has always an edge - given its potential to generate a lot of votes from the segment that doesn’t understand logic.

—Prashant Tewari Editor-in-Chief