Ahmedabad Couple Sues ‘Sanyasi’ Son For Abandoning Them After They Funded His Education

Parents, especially in India, tend to invest a lot in their kids. Right from investing all their earnings in the child’s education to always being their backup even when they have their own family, which is why parents tend to expect that their kids will be by their side in their old age. Well, this does seem reasonable given the fact that parents invest their entire life in building their child’s future. But what if a child renounces the world and decides to become a ‘sanyasi’? Well, in that case ‘he cannot absolve himself from the responsibility of maintaining parents,’ stated the Ahmedabad court.

According to TOI, a family court has ordered a ‘sanyasi’ to pay Rs 10,000 monthly maintenance to his parents. The court observed:

“As a son, it is his responsibility to maintain parents and he cannot escape from the responsibility.”

The development came in when Dharmesh Gol, 27, became a monk after completing his master’s degree in pharmacy. Gol cut his ties with his parents to work for an NGO belonging to the religious sect. He reportedly rejected a job that could have paid him Rs. 60,000 and began serving similar NGOs.

Since the parents were unable to locate him, they filed a police complaint to locate Dharmesh. But soon after the parents failed to convince their son to return home. The parents reportedly sued him and asked that he provide Rs. 50,000 as maintenance. As the parents were physically disabled, they didn’t have any source of income and hence, put forth their plea to the family court of Ahmedabad.

They further added that they have spent their savings on their son’s higher education and expected him to earn well and take care of them in their old age. They claimed to have spent Rs. 35 lakh in Dharmesh’s education. Dharmesh apparently lectures in several institutes and participates in fundraising for the NGO and earns nearly Rs. 1 lakh. Since the son declined to argue the case, the court maintained:

“It is an established legal principle that a child has to earn and support his parents.”

Assuming that he earns around Rs. 30,000-35,000, the court asked Dharmesh to pay a monthly maintenance of Rs 10,000.

“The amount of maintenance should not be so high that it becomes a punishment for the child. The amount should also not be so small that parents cannot support themselves.”

However, the parents weren’t convinced by the paltry sum and are planning to approach the high court to raise their maintenance amount.

What do you think of the court’s verdict? Tell us.

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