BENGALURU: Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil has called for the cancellation of property transfers and wills made in favour of children who later abandon their elderly parents in government hospitals.
The issue was raised by Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) Director during a review meeting at Vikasa Soudha, who said that over 150 cases of elderly parents being deserted at BIMS was reported. Besides, it was also discussed that more than 100 similar cases have been found in other government medical colleges across Karnataka.
Following this, Dr Patil instructed all government medical colleges to report such cases and file complaints with assistant commissioners (revenue sub-division) so that legal action can be taken against those responsible. He also directed Director of Medical Education Dr BL Sujatha Rathod to take action.
Dr Patil said that under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, parents have the legal right to cancel property transfers if their children fail to take care of them. Under Section 23 of the Act, if a child takes property from a parent and then abandons them, the law allows for the property to be returned to the parent, he added.
The medical officers, during the meeting, highlighted that many elderly individuals say their children left them at hospitals on the pretext of treatment but never returned.
Since hospitals provide food, clothing, and shelter, a few deliberately abandon their parents there. While some families cite financial difficulties, in most cases, the elderly were deserted after transferring property to their children.
So far, BIMS has relocated 70 elderly individuals to retirement homes.