In some cultures, children should come only a short time after marriage. Failure to produce a child early enough leads to so many questions or extreme reactions like this Indian couple who are suing their son in court and demanding he produces a grandchild or reward them a huge sum for their troubles.
Keep reading for the details.
Sanjeev and Sadhana Prasad claimed to have exhausted their life savings on raising their son and funding his pilot ambition in school after which they paid for a lavish wedding for the couple in question.
They're now requesting a payback, which is either a grandchild or $650,000, as he has been married for over six years without a baby in sight or plans to have one anytime soon.
Contents of their petition filed with a court in Haridwar goes like this.
“My son has been married for six years but they are still not planning a baby, at least if we have a grandchild to spend time with, our pain will become bearable.”
Well, according to the parents, it covers the cost of the wedding reception in a luxury five-star hotel, an expensive car worth over $80,000, and funding their lavish honeymoon overseas.
They also spent about $65,000 on training him as a pilot in the U.S.
"I have only one son. I spent all my savings on his upbringing and education."
The old couple revealed that after emptying their savings on their only son, they're currently building their house with a loan coupled with major financial struggles.
“Mentally too we are quite disturbed because we are living alone.”
The father in his statement claimed the son returned to India unemployed in 2007, owing to the economic recession abroad and he supported him.
"He returned to India in 2007 due to the economic recession abroad. He had lost his job and could not find another for over two years. I supported him financially during this period as well."
The concerned father also alleged that the couple lives in separate states due to the nature of their job, revealing that their daughter-in-law doesn't stay with them, which has now caused them "immense pain" and added to their sufferings.
Prasad also revealed he arranged the marriage for his son with his now wife, identified as Shubhangi after he eventually secured a job on his return from overseas.
Their outcry for a grandchild isn't just fuss as the older couple also volunteered to help raise the child should the couple be too busy with their careers.
The parents' lawyer, however, admitted that while this is the first of its kind in the state, the parents' demand is justified, and their expectations are not wrong.
It's not a secret that India operates a joint family system with members of the family including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and nephews living under the same roof.
It's common for parents to claim a monthly allowance from their grown-up children as it's fully backed up by a federal law that seeks to protect parents and senior citizens who may not be able to fend for themselves.
A few related cases have made headlines in India, like a family dispute over the issue of monthly allowances in 2020 that even resulted in the Supreme Court judge telling the sons not to forget they're everything because of their father.
Like Shrey, dozens of other young couples have also taken the option of moving away from their parents or partners, choosing to pursue their professional goals rather than expand their family or stay at home.
