KOZHIKODE: Sarada (name changed), a kidney patient, aged more than 75, approached the Senior Citizens Maintenance Tribunal for help to receive maintenance and treatment cost from her son, who left home with family, unable to ‘cope up’ with his mother. When called for a conciliation talk, the son informed them that he had to rent a house, due to an issue with Sarada, and if she were ready to pay the rent, he would also pay for the maintenance.
However, her case was not rare, compared to the number of complaints piling up at the tribunal at the office of the revenue divisional officer (RDO) every Thursday. The petitions are increasing by number, with the majority of the parents seeking their property back, which were once registered in their children’s name. The RDO office confirmed that though the number of complaints regarding children abandoning elderly parents is increasing, more than maintenance, these days, the charges are related to property disputes.
“There are genuine cases of the elderly parents, and the complaints are irrespective of class, education, wealth or community," said RDO Shamin Sebastian, who chairs the tribunal. "There are cases where children force the parents to leave the house after getting the property registered in their name. However, there are also a huge number of cases, where the parents seek re-registration of the property after one or more of the children show dissent in the property sharing.” While the total number of petitions registered at the Tribunal was 72, it rose to 160 in 2016. However, this year, in less than four months, the number has crossed 51, officials say. When the property disputes prop up, they refer the cases for the consideration of the village officers.
