News that disheartened me today – Give us death over abuse at our son’s hand: Gujarat couple. It is really sad to hear that children resort to such things against their parents. I used to give example of the honor and traditional joint family culture in India, but such news only brings us shame. When I read such news, I feel that the western culture (read: as in US) is better where the parents show their kids the door and tell them to find their own livelihood. The children too move out of the house and struggle their way in the society to make their life and livelihood. The good result, Parents though feel alone at old age, but they don’t have to go through the torturous life like this where the son beats them up or the daughter-in-law threatens to sue them for section 498A (Anti-Dowry Provision).
The reason to my feelings going negative in this case is – this news would become stale over a period of time and the young India would move on. No one would even think on these terms and no NGO would come forward to help these or many other similar parents who are tortured by their own children. What mistake they did? Just that they invested all their savings to make a life for their Son, bought a house to ensure that he gets proper shelter in the city they live and now they are dependent on him?
I challenge the youth in India to step up to the Cause of Supporting the Senior Citizens, take an hour a day to or two in a week to help setup Senior Citizen support Cell. I would also love to see just or at least one NGO that would help run this support cells and similar other initiatives across the Country.
I know there are those who voice similar to what I opine and one such input that I got from the online forum is from a fellow reader Brian who beautifully worded the comment –
“You are absolutely right, senior citizen and parents should be respected and should support them at all times. We should realize because of them we, the youth of India have come so far and our current position. We are standing on the ground which was created by our ancestors. We should be thank full to them at all times This 3 G world have change the life style and mindset of man kind in 2 ways,, one is prosperity, development in science and technology and rendered this life so convenient/ Beat by beat we are neglecting the forum of our culture, the foot step of our ancestors which involves love, care and high moral values, love respect towards the society. The other is because of this result everyone is trying to live a luxury life, don’t want to work hard and live life with those moral values. W;e have become so selfish and greedy and the desire to have more and more..and to get this life style some people don’t care about their parents who have been their back bone ever since they were young… They deserve to learn a good lessons of life. They should be punished.”
But how many such voices would stand out from the crowd of billions who would support this cause is to be seen. How many candle light vigils be conducted not just in Ahmadabad or Gujarat, but across India in support of this couple and many more across India. This one movement is required to ensure safety and rightful position of our Senior Citizens, our Parents and Our Loved ones across the country.
Please note – This is only one case that came to light because the Parents filed a request to be dead, however, there are multiple cases across country that even don’t go reported and god knows how many of them result in “Suicides or even Murders”
