Ageing a major social challenge, says HC as it evicts 2 sons from parents’ home in Mumbai
Ageing has become a major social challenge, the Bombay high court on Saturday said while ordering the eviction of two sons of an elderly couple from their bungalow in Pune
Ageing has become a major social challenge, the Bombay high court on Saturday said while ordering the eviction of two sons of an elderly couple from their bungalow in Pune as the two not only failed to look after their aged parents, but also harassed the retired couple.
“This is a perfect example of the insensitivity of children towards their aged parents,” said Sadhana Jadhav rejecting the appeal filed by Santosh, elder son of Surendra and Sunanda Patil.
The judge noted that both the sons were interested only in their parents’ property and weren’t bothered about their health and other needs.
“It is clear that the responsibilities towards the parents have degenerated,” the judge said.
Jadhav said, “It is apparent that the parents are not only exposed to emotional neglect, feeling of rejection, social insecurity, but to lack of physical and financial support also.”
“It has become a major challenge to their very peaceful existence,” the judge added.
The high court has now directed Santosh and his younger brother Sandeep to leave the bungalow, built by their parents, in two weeks, and also pay Rs2,000 to each of them as monthly maintenance.
The order came on an appeal filed by Santosh, challenging a February 2016 order passed by the sub-divisional officer (SDO) at Pune telling Santosh and Sandeep to vacate the bungalow immediately.
Sandip had approached high court after the additional collector, Pune, upheld the SDO’s order, made under provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, and also directed Nigadi police to execute the order.
The high court, however, noticed that though Sunanda earned Rs13,000 as a monthly pension, she and her husband, who suffers from diabetes and has also lost vision in his left eye, required more than this to pay for their medicines.
Instead of providing support to their elderly parents, the sons kept fighting for a share in the bungalow, the court said.
Besides, the high court noted that the wife of the elder son had also threatened the elderly couple with criminal complaints if they sought their eviction.