The Allahabad High Court made a startling statement in a recent alimony case involving an elderly couple: it said that these kinds of legal issues herald the approach of ‘Kalyug,’ the Hindu age of conflict and moral deterioration.

The issue revolves around 80-year-old retired health supervisor Munesh Kumar Gupta and his 76-year-old spouse. Their property dispute, which has been going on since 2018, became so bad that it included the police and required them to live apart. After that, the wife demanded Rs 15,000 in monthly alimony from Gupta’s Rs 35,000 pension.

Gupta first challenged the family court’s decision to pay Rs 5,000 in alimony before the High Court. Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery voiced his dismay at the February 20 hearing by saying, “It appears that Kaliyug has arrived.” These court cases offer cause for alarm.”

The wife was given a notice by the court, which also conveyed its hope that the pair would work things out before the next hearing. This instance demonstrates how older Indians are becoming more concerned about family conflicts, which is a reflection of shifting societal dynamics and norms.