Sanjeev (61) and Sandhya Prasad (57), made the headlines in mid-May for suing their only son and daughter-in-law for not giving them a grandchild. Sanjeev Prasad claims to have raised his son, funded his pilot training in the US in 2006 at a cost of $65,000, and have his son married in the hopes of getting a grandchild to play with during his retirement.
The parents have even claimed to pay for the wedding and honeymoon, and have assumed it their right to demand a grandchild in exchange now.
The parents have given their son, Shrey Sagar, an ultimatum: conceive a child within the year or pay up Rs 5 crore. As odd as the situation is, it definitely highlights one thing: the obsession Indians have with having children and grandchildren. The bizarre nature of the news has even made international headlines, with The Daily Show host, Trevor Noah, also reacting to it.
"Being parents is so weird. You spend the first 18 years doing everything you can to stop your kids from having sex. And then, as soon as they grow up, you turn into frat bros. 'Yo, you got to get laid, dude! And don't use a condom either. That shit's for losers. Just do it. Do it now," he said while talking about the incident.
The parents' lawyer, AK Srivastava, while talking about the case also said that the incident "portrays the truth of society". "We invest in our children, make them capable of working in good firms. Children owe their parents basic financial care," he added.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)