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'If you don't have an heir, leave alone heaven, you don't even have a place in hell.'
A 61-year-old man and his 57-year-old wife are suing their son and daughter-in-law in a court in Haridwar. In their law suit, they are asking their son and daughter-in-law to give them a grandchild within a year or give them compensation of Rs 5 crore (Rs 50 million).
The father says he educated his son, spent money on his training to be a pilot abroad, gifted him a very expensive car, spent a huge amount on his wedding and the couple have still not given them a grandchild.
Their grouse is also that the young couple doesn't stay with them. The son is a pilot stationed in Guwahati while the daughter-in-law works in Noida. They have been married for six years.
The elderly couple have only one child, their son. The man says his wife is unwell most times. Their daughter-in-law doesn't stay with them very often. They have complained of mental harassment as they do not have a grandchild to be with them in their old age.
Their advocate Arvind Srivastava thinks they have a case and tells Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar, "Our laws are based on Manusmriti and our religious texts, our morals."
Has anyone ever filed a case like this?
This is the first case of this kind. After filing it, I was told that this is the first such case in the country.
Under what section have you filed it?
We have filed it under Section 12 of the Domestic Violence Act. If you cause emotional stress, that also comes under this Act.
A couple can have a child early in marriage or later -- that depends on various factors. How can you enforce it legally?
They (the younger couple) have been married for a long time. They live in different places. They (the parents) have spent on his education, his pilot training, they have only one son and he doesn't stay with his parents.
If you don't have an heir, leave alone heaven you don't have a place in hell also. If you cannot give us a grandchild you can give us compensation of Rs 5 crore.
Are you expecting the court to order the couple to have a child? Isn't it their decision?
OK! Don't give a child, give us the compensation then.
First, there will be counseling; depending on evidence the court will decide on compensation.
You really think a parent can ask a child to return the money spent on him?
Why can't he ask? He has spent all his earnings on him.
What if the son asks--- "I didn't ask you to have me as your child or bring me up"?
A child makes so many demands on parents. Our laws are based on Manusmriti and our religious texts, our morals.
There is a law saying you must look after your parents. I don't think there is a law saying you must give them a grandchild.
Correct! But this case is not under that law, it is under the Domestic Violence Act. Giving anyone emotional stress comes under this act. His mother is being treated for depression.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com