"Traditional norms and values of the Indian society has laid stress on providing care for the elderly and in our country"

We should respect, serve and worship our parents, said the Chhattisgarh High court while dismissing a man's plea against providing maintenance to his step mother.

The Tribunal constituted under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 had directed him to make a payment of ₹ 10,000 per month to his step mother. Aggrieved with 'shockingly high' amount ordered as maintenance, the man approached the High Court pleading his incapacity to pay the amount.

The court noted that the petitioner is working as a government teacher in the government education department and earning sufficient money to maintain his mother. It also observed that the word "parent" has been defined in Section 2(d) of the Act which includes step-father and step-mother.

The bench also observed that the amount of maintenance ₹ 10,000 includes provision for food, clothing, residence and medical attendance and treatment, therefore looking to the price index prevailing at present, the said amount cannot be said to be on higher side or shockingly high.

While dismissing his plea, court quoted scriptures emphasizing the duty to maintain and look after parents. Passages from Taittiriya Upanishad, Ramayana, and Mahabharata have been reproduced in the judgment.

"The whole idea is that we should respect, serve and worship our parents. This is a very unique teaching of our tradition…Traditional norms and values of the Indian society has laid stress on providing care for the elderly and in our country, the mother is worshiped as the goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of prosperity) of the house. The Sruti (Taittiriya Upanishad) emphatically declares: "MATRU DEVO BHAVA" (Let thy mother be thy God)."

The judge also referred to a verse from Ramayana which says that it is difficult for the children to repay the debt of what the mother and the father have done to bring them up.

Reminding the petitioner about the 'mandate of scriptures', the court dismissed his plea imposing a cost of Rs. 2000.