Lalit Gargg
In Indian culture, parents have always been regarded as equivalent to gods — “Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava.” This is not merely a scriptural line but the very soul of our social structure. Therefore, it is extremely shameful for any civilized society if parents, who gave birth and devoted their lives to raising their children, have to face neglect, humiliation, and financial insecurity in the evening of their lives, and are forced to seek legal and administrative support to receive maintenance from their own children.
Unfortunately, this is becoming a harsh reality of our times. Old age itself is a major challenge. With advancing age, physical strength declines, illnesses increase, and sources of income almost disappear. Whatever little savings people accumulate by the time of retirement are often spent on children’s education, marriages, and building houses. Government employees may still receive pensions, but those associated with the private sector or small businesses often face greater difficulties. In such circumstances, if children do not take care of their parents, it is not merely a family failure but can be considered a social crime.
Keeping these circumstances in mind, the “Telangana Employees Accountability and Parents Support Monitoring Bill, 2026,” passed by the Telangana Assembly, has emerged as an important and historic initiative. The objective of this bill is to ensure that if children fail to take care of their parents, a fixed amount will be deducted from their salaries and given to the parents. This law will apply not only to government employees but also to private sector employees, Members of Parliament, MLAs, and local body representatives. Thus, this law is not merely a legal provision but an attempt to give legal form to social responsibility.
Although India already has the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, the new Telangana bill is considered more comprehensive, sensitive, and effective. It provides that if children fail to take care of their parents, then upon complaint, fifteen percent of the salary or ten thousand rupees (whichever is lower) will be deducted and deposited into the parents’ account. The complaint will be resolved within sixty days by the District Collector, and a Senior Citizens Commission will also be formed for this purpose. Another important aspect of this law is that not only biological parents but step-parents can also file complaints.
This law is also significant because the Indian family system is rapidly changing. Joint families have broken down into nuclear families, and now even the concept of single-person families is emerging. Career competition, economic pressures, urban lifestyles, consumerism, and the growing sense of individual freedom have weakened the traditional family structure. In many cases, parents are sent to old-age homes, and even if they are kept at home, they often face neglect, disrespect, and mental suffering. Sometimes even their medicines, food, and care are neglected.
In such a situation, an important question arises — can the service of parents be ensured only through values, or is there also a need for law? Ideally, values alone should be sufficient. Indian history and tradition provide many inspiring examples of devotion to parents. The example of Shravan Kumar is considered an ideal symbol of a devoted son in Indian culture, who carried his blind parents on his shoulders on a pilgrimage. Similarly, Lord Rama accepted exile to honor his father’s promise. These are not merely religious stories but moral ideals of Indian society.
In history, personalities like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Mahatma Gandhi, and Swami Vivekananda also demonstrated deep respect and devotion towards their parents. This clearly shows that respect and service towards parents have always been the core spirit of Indian culture. However, as values weaken today, society is compelled to take the support of law.
But it would not be appropriate to view this issue from only one side. It is also true that sometimes parents impose excessive discipline, control, and expectations on their children. They want their children to live strictly according to their wishes and not make independent decisions regarding marriage, career, or lifestyle. Sometimes parents interfere excessively in their children’s personal lives, which creates tension within the family. In such situations, distance increases between parents and children, and the family environment becomes stressful.
Therefore, the solution to this problem is not only law but also balance, dialogue, and mutual understanding within the family. Children should understand that their parents devoted their entire lives to them, and therefore serving and respecting them in old age is their moral duty. At the same time, parents must also understand that times have changed and the new generation has a different lifestyle and mindset; therefore, they must learn to understand their children and give them independence.
In reality, a family is an institution that runs on love, sacrifice, respect, and dialogue — not merely on authority and discipline. Where there is only authority, there will be conflict; where there is only sacrifice, there will be imbalance; but where there is love and balance, the family will be strong.
The Telangana law is an important initiative, but it is not the final solution. Law can compel children to maintain their parents, but it cannot create love, respect, and sensitivity. For that, society needs moral education, family values, and social awareness. Schools, social organizations, and religious institutions should teach respect and care for parents and elders.
Today, we talk about a “New India” and a “Developed India,” but economic development alone is not sufficient. If the elderly in society remain insecure, neglected, and humiliated, development will remain incomplete. True development is that in which every section of society — children, youth, women, and the elderly — can live a secure and dignified life.
Therefore, it is necessary to work on three levels: First, the government and laws should ensure the economic and social security of the elderly. Second, values of respect and service towards parents should be developed in society. Third, balanced and dialogue-based relationships should be established between parents and children within families.
If these three levels become strong, not only will the lives of the elderly become secure and dignified, but the family institution will also become stronger and human values will remain alive in society. It can certainly be said that parents are not just a part of the family — they are the roots of the family. If the roots are weak, the tree will also be weak.
Therefore, respect and protection of the elderly is not merely a family or legal issue, but a test of the morality and civilization of society. A society that does not respect its elders can never become truly great.
