Dharmesh Gol and father Lilabhai

AHMEDABAD: Even if one becomes a sanyasi and renounces the world, he cannot absolve himself from the responsibility of maintaining parents. A family court has ordered a sanyasi to pay Rs 10,000 monthly maintenance to his parents.

While directing the sanyasi-son to maintain his parents, the court observed, "As a son, it is his responsiblity to maintain parents and he cannot escape from the responsibility."

The case involves Dharmesh Gol (27), who holds a master's degree in pharmacy from prestigious National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) and who became a monk after his studies by turning down a lucrative corporate job in June 2015.

Gol was attracted to the activities of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Bhadaj, and started serving its NGOs - Akshaypatra, Touch Stone and Annapurna. He severed all ties with his parents - Lilabhai (64) and Bhikhiben (55).

As they did not hear form Dharmesh, Lilabhai and Bhikhiben tried hard to search for him. They took help of police to locate Dharmesh. After their failure to convince the son to return home, the parents sued him for Rs 50,000 maintenance in Ahmedabad's family court.

The parents submitted to the court that both are physically challenged and have no source of income. The father retired from a government job four years ago. They had spent their savings for son's higher education with high hopes that he would earn and look after them in the later stage of their life. They claimed to have spent Rs 35 lakh on Dharmesh's studies.

The parents told the court that after his study, Dharmesh declined a job of Rs 60,000 salary and started serving NGOs belonging to the religious sect after a priest lured him into it. He delivers lectures at various institutes and is involved in fund raising for the organization. He earns nearly Rs 1 lakh, they claimed. The son chose not to argue the case. The court concluded that Dharmesh deserted his parents without any reason. Both the elderly people are in helpless condition because the son has made no arrangement to maintain them.

The parents raised the child with utmost care and fulfilled all his needs. They spent huge amount on his education.

The court further observed that it is a settled principle of law that a son has to earn and maintain his parents. The court presumed his minimum income to be around Rs 30,000-35,000. It asked Dharmesh to pay Rs 10,000 monthly maintenance with observation, “The maintenance amount should not be so high that it becomes a punishment for the son. The amount should also be not so meagre that the parents cannot maintain themselves.” The parents are not satisfied with Rs 10,000 maintenance. Lilabhai said that he and his wife would approach the Gujarat high court for enhancement in the maintenance amount.

