Mentally-ill persons have right to live with dignity: Justice Sikri

Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri on Saturday raised concern about the rights of persons with mental illness, saying it was an issue of their human rights and they had a right to live with dignity.

Citing an incident of an asylum in Uttar Pradesh where many mentally-ill persons were chained, Sikri said, "This is happening in 2019 where we are talking about the legal rights of the mentally-ill persons. It is no more a health issue alone now.... It is an issue of their human rights also as they are not getting the suitable environment which they need. They have the right to live like any other person."
Speaking at the seminar, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said a major reason nowadays to fall sick was mental disorder. "Mental illness' issue is that a particular persons thinks that only I have done for the society. If a person is studying in eminent institutes like (the) IIT, then, he/she should not forget the contribution of the society. Now, the time has come when we need to give back at least something to the society."