Progeny!

May 21st, 2022| Topic: RaMbLeS | 4

In other news, here’s an item from ye olde land of India.

Sadhana and Sanjeev Prasad have had it! They are a couple living in Haridwar, a city in North India. They’ve had it. With their son and his wife.

The reason?

Said son+wife refuse to give them grandchildren. Son+wife have been married for six years, but apparently without progeny. So the Prasads are unhappy. Deeply. Grieved. And aggrieved.

Aggrieved enough to file a suit against said son+wife. Yup, they’re taking their son, 35, and their daughter-in-law, 31, to court. Suing them for grandchildren. You read it correctly. Suing them for grandchildren.

The ultimatum has been set (at least that’s what they are suing for). Give us grandchildren or ₹50,000,000 (= about US$650,000).

CNN, that claims to have viewed the legal petition, said that the couple claims to have spent about ₹20,000,000 (= about US$260,000) raising their son, who is an only child. And, according to the petition, the Prasads also bought a car for their son and daughter-in-law, and paid for their honeymoon. Sans grandkids, the Prasads are seeking to recoup some of their costs!

Announced Arvind Srivastava, the Prasads’ legal representative, the other day:

They raised him, educated him, made him capable, made him a pilot—which was expensive. They see people in their neighborhood playing with their grandchildren and feel like they should also have one. They said they didn’t marry their son and daughter-in-law off so that they can live alone. … So they said that in the next year, either give us a grandchild or give us compensation.”

Part of the issue, Srivastava said, is that there is no one to take care of the aging couple and that “all parents wish to be grandparents one day,” in the hopes of having themselves supported in the long term.

(For some reason, the petition also targets the daughter-in-law’s extended family. Who knows why? Maybe they are complicit in this failure to produce progeny?)

Said CNN:

Though this kind of lawsuit is rare, the topic of familial obligation has long been controversial in India, where carrying on the family line and caring for elderly parents and in-laws is often seen as a filial duty. It’s also sometimes a legal duty: parents can claim a monthly allowance from their adult children under a federal law that seeks to protect parents and senior citizens who may not be able to take care of themselves.”

A number of related cases have made headlines in India in recent years. One family dispute, a couple of years ago, over parental monthly allowances, culminated in a Supreme Court judge telling the sons involved:

Don’t forget, you are everything because of your parents.”

Sound words. And yes, we should honor our parents, including supporting them.

Hmm ….

Maybe I should’ve gotten married? Oh, well. I’ve got someOne better who takes care of me.

Do not cast me away in the time of old age;
when my strength fails do not abandon me. …
God, do not be far from me; my God, hurry to my help! …
And I—continually I will wait, and add to all your praise. …
God, You have taught me from my youth,
and until now I announce Your wonders.
And even unto old age and grayheadedness,
God, do not abandon me, until I announce Your strength to [that] generation,
[and] to all who are to come, Your mighty deeds,
and Your righteousness, God, unto the height [of heaven].
You who have done great things—God, who is like You?
Psalm 71:9, 12, 14, 17–19

SOURCE:
CNN