Chennai:
In a significant order, the Madras High Court has advised a woman to treat her estranged husband like a respectful guest when he visits their child, following the Indian cultural value of “Atithi Devo Bhava” (Guest is God).
Justice Krishnan Ramasamy gave this direction while hearing a petition filed by the father of a 10-year-old girl seeking joint custody and shared parenting. The court allowed the father to meet his daughter every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 8 PM, noting that both parents live in separate towers within the same residential complex in Chennai.
The judge stressed that turning a child against one parent is a form of emotional abuse. “Children are not born with hate; they are taught to hate,” the judge observed. He said that both parents should show kindness and empathy in front of the child, even if they are separated.
Justice Ramasamy noted that many times, the custodial parent disrespects or mistreats the visiting parent during child visits, often in front of the child, causing emotional harm. This kind of behavior, he said, is damaging and goes against the child’s best interest.
The court made it clear that cooperation and respectful behavior during visitation are crucial. The judge instructed the wife to welcome the husband politely, offer snacks or dinner, and ensure that these visits happen in a peaceful and happy environment for the sake of the child.
He concluded that parents may no longer be in love, but basic humanity and parental responsibility require them to be kind and cooperative when it comes to their child’s well-being.
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