Pay P34 million or make a baby? Indian couple sues son for 'failing' to give them grandchild
A couple from India is suing their only son and his wife for "failing" to give them a grandchild after six years of marriage—demanding a baby "within the year" or pay compensation worth 50 million rupees (P34 million).
Sanjeev and Sadhana Prasad, 61 and 57, said they used up all their savings to raise and educate their pilot son. In an interview with Times of India, the couple said they even paid for their son's lavish wedding, which included reception in a five-star hotel, a luxury car worth 6 million rupees (P4 million), and the newlywed's honeymoon abroad.
Mr. and Mrs. Prasad said they also spent 5 million rupees (P3.4 million) for their son's training as a pilot in the United States in 2006. But their son went back home in 2007 unemployed, and they had to support him financially for over the next two years.
Their son eventually landed the job and in 2016, his parents arranged his marriage in hopes of having a "grandchild to play with" during their retirement.
But six years later, the whole thing led to a curious lawsuit, which was filed on the grounds of "mental harassment."
"My son has been married for six years but they are still not planning a baby," the couple said in their petition filed with a court in the city of Haridwar in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. "At least if we have a grandchild to spend time with, our pain will become bearable."
The Prasads also told the Times of India that their daughter in law "seldom" stays with them, and that she's living in a different city than her husband.
Their petition will be taken up for hearing on May 17.
India has a strong joint family system, with many generations often living in the same household—including grandparents, nephews, aunts, and uncles.
The trend, however, has shifted in the recent years. Young couples now prefer moving away from their parents or siblings—even wives, like Mr. and Mrs. Prasad's son—opting to work rather than focus on having children and staying at home.