Neglect, abuse and harassment of the elderly is increasing in the country. Children do not want to live with their parents at all. They do not even want to take the responsibility of their livelihood, due to which the life of the elderly generation of India has become hell. From time to time, the courts have expressed their concern about the moment-to-moment suffocation, stress, complexity of living and neglect of the elderly. The government has made efforts to provide progress and peace to the elderly by making laws, but despite this, the life of the elderly remains painful and complicated. Incidents of turning away from the responsibility of taking care of and maintaining elderly parents have increased rapidly. Disputes related to alimony are coming up in large numbers in the courts. This is the reason why the central government is preparing to bring new laws with the aim of increasing the scope of the 2007 law that obliges parents to take care of their elderly parents. The effort to make the age-old law related to the care of parents and the elderly effective and practical is certainly a meaningful and commendable effort to provide a respectable life to the elderly in the social and family fabric.
At present, there are about 10.5 crore elderly people in the country and by 2050, their number will reach 32.4 crore. There will be 64 countries including India where 30 percent of the population will be above 60 years of age. In the era of nuclear families, care and maintenance of the elderly is emerging as a big problem. In such a situation, the Union Cabinet has taken the initiative to amend the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 for the care of the elderly. According to the new bill, now the responsibility of the elderly in the house will not only be of the son, but also of the daughter-in-law, son-in-law, adopted children, step sons and daughters. The purpose of bringing the bill is to ensure respect for the elderly. Earlier, elderly parents were entitled to get alimony of up to ten thousand rupees from their children. It is being told that according to the new bill, now the alimony of parents will be decided by the financial status of the children. In an effort to reduce bitterness with children, there is also a plan to reduce the punishment given to children for abandoning or misbehaving with their parents and elders. This has been done after consultation with social organizations. Because a long punishment increases bitterness in the relationship between parents and children. It is being said that the government can present this bill in the budget session. In fact, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment took the initiative to change the 2007 law related to the care of the elderly, when the cases of neglect and mistreatment of the elderly have increased rapidly in the society.
In Indian culture and all religious texts, parents are considered as a form of God and it is said to serve them selflessly, but despite this, many people, far from serving their elderly parents, keep harassing them. Therefore, governments of various states are making new laws for the self-respect of the elderly. In Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi government is now preparing to bring a strict law against children who usurp the property of elderly parents and evict them. Under this, sons and daughters who usurp the property of their parents and throw them out of the house will not be spared. In a different way, the Assam government has started two special holidays in November for state employees with a view to putting an end to the neglect of the elderly, so that they can spend time with their parents or in-laws. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the importance of family in his announcement. These special holidays on 6 and 8 November are for the employees to connect with their elderly parents or in-laws. Its purpose is to show respect and care towards the senior members of the family. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in his announcement has stressed the importance of family, saying that 'parents' blessings are essential for our lives. As an ideal citizen, it is our responsibility to ensure the well-being of our parents.'
The Assam government has previously passed the Assam Employees Parents Responsibility and Accountability and Monitoring Rules Bill, 2017 or Pranam Bill in the state assembly. Its purpose is to ensure that state government employees take care of their aging parents or physically disabled siblings or else money will be deducted from their salary. People across the country called this law a good step by the Assam government. Under the rules, if a person (government employee) does not take care of his dependent parents, then 10 percent of his total salary will be deducted and that amount will be deposited in the account of the parents. In case of having a Divyang (physically disabled) sibling, up to 15 percent of the salary will be deducted.
Now the Central Government is trying to overcome the practical difficulties of the law related to it in the new bill by making changes in the 2007 law. However, the Ministry had taken the initiative to change the law in the year 2019. A bill was also introduced in the Lok Sabha this year. The bill was later sent to the Parliamentary Committee to examine its wider aspects. On the basis of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee, the government once again introduced a bill in Parliament. But it could not be passed. Later, the bill became ineffective due to the end of the term of the 17th Lok Sabha. After which now the government is preparing to bring this bill in Parliament afresh. It is worth mentioning that many new provisions have been added to this bill. The bill has provisions like counting the elderly in each district, old age homes equipped with medical facilities and setting up a cell at the district level.
Failure of children to fulfill the needs of the elderly is a violation of human rights like living an independent life with dignity. The disintegration of joint families and the growing trend of nuclear families have made this situation out of control. The new law is an effective step to stop this wrong trend of neglect and abuse of the elderly, this will put an end to children's neglect of their parents. Ensuring respect, security and welfare for the elderly generation should be a priority for everyone. We should create a world where every elderly can live his old age with dignity, self-respect, security and health. The elderly are expected to be accepted as self-pride, not a bondage. The serious problems that have arisen today regarding the elderly did not happen suddenly, but due to the changing social values under consumerist culture and metropolitan modern consciousness, change in the thinking of the new generation, rising inflation and the tendency of a person to limit himself to his children and wife, many problems have arisen for the elderly. If the elderly in the family are leading a painful life, are groaning in their sickness lying on the bed, are yearning for sustenance, then it is indeed a matter of shame and disgrace for us. It is a great irony and anomaly of the present era that the elderly are standing scared at the threshold of their own house, neglecting the elderly is a black mark on the healthy and cultured family tradition, it is a matter of shame for the ideal governance system as well. To free the elderly from these tragic and scary situations, along with making new laws, it is also expected to be strictly implemented.
– Lalit Garg
Author, journalist, columnist
