Wife Influenced by Brahma Kumaris Neglects Marital Duties

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ex-l

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Wife Influenced by Brahma Kumaris Neglects Marital Duties

Post21 Jan 2021

Nothing changes, nothing new under the sun, how many years have we been reporting such cases? What makes this one interesting is the date ... 9 February 1968, about a case dating back to 1957, while founder Lekhraj Kirpalani was still alive. Indeed, only a year or two after the re-invention of the Brahma Kumaris when they first introduced the concept of a God Shiva, instead of their God Lekhraj Kirpalani Brahma.
Surendra Nath Seth v. Phul Wati

"The case of the husband is that the wife having been influenced by a cult known as ‘Brahma Kumaris’ which has some peculiar tenets, neglected her marital duties and refused to cohabit with him."

Typically of the Brahma Kumaris' audacity, while the wife deserted the husband for the two years, left the family residence of the husband, & refusing to cohabit with him ... SHE STILL WANTED HIS MONEY ... and was prepared to lie about his conduct in order to win.
The evidence on behalf of the wife as to the alleged beating and cruelty on the part of the husband was disbelieved ... the wife had deserted the husband, she having refused to carry out her marital influence of ‘Brahma Kumaris’.

Again, something we've heard of them using decades on.

In short, the couple were married in 1933. They came from the middle class society and had a good standard of living in the City of Kanpur. Three sons were born, the third unfortuntely died in the year 1954 after a long illness ... after which the BKs got their hooks in her. Again, a typical scenario that we've heard of them using decades on.
... the wife was introduced to the cult of the Brahma Kumaris by the husband himself to assuage her sorrow on the death of the third son and [claims] she never neglected her marital duties but due to excessive demands of her husband for carnal pleasures, which she was not inclined to meet, she began to resent the advances of the husband and that caused certain amount of estrangement.

In 1959, the husband filed a petition under Sec. 10 of the Hindu Marriage Act for a decree for judicial separation against the wife, the main allegation on which the petition was based on the wife having deserted the husband for the past two years. In legal language, that probably means, "stopped having sex" which is sufficient for divorce in India (and other law).
... the learned Civil Judge of Kanpur on a consideration of the entire material on record, recorded a finding that the wife had deserted the husband, she having refused to carry out her marital influence of ‘Brahma Kumaris’. The evidence on behalf of the wife as to the alleged beating and cruelty on the part of the husband was disbelieved. A decree dated 22-3-1960 for judicial separation was passed in favour of the husband against the wife.

It then boiled down to a fight over how much alimony she should received from him.
Soon after passing of the decree for judicial separation an application under Sec. 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act was presented on 8-4-1960 praying that the husband be ordered to pay to the wife for her maintenance and support the monthly sum of Rs. 1,000/-

$1,000 rupees in 1960 is worth approximately $74,450 rupees today (the average monthly salary of an Indian professionals is currently approx. $32,900 per month).

Clearly, "middle class" means rich. That was one third of his income.
In a Written statement the husband denied the allegations made in the said application and pleaded that the wife being the guilty party having deserted the husband without reasonable cause, by her conduct deprived herself of any claim for alimony and the prayer for any permanent maintenance was liable to be rejected.

On behalf of the husband witnesses were produced to prove the factum of the wife having become a devotee of Brahma Kumari cult and that her needs were few.

Something which we know to true and often boasted about by the BKs. If they wanted her, why shouldn't they pay for her upkeep? The woman was an adult, why did not she go and get a job to keep herself?

A permanent alimony at the rate of Rs. 450/- per month was awarded.
... the learned Civil Judge held that the decree for judicial separation having been granted on the ground of desertion by the wife she was no doubt a guilty party but that circumstance did not, in law, result in defeating her claim for permanent alimony under Sec. 25 of the Hindu Marriage Act.
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ex-l

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Re: Wife Influenced by Brahma Kumaris Neglects Marital Dutie

Post21 Jan 2021

The wife filed a cross-objection praying for an increased rate of financial maintenance.
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Pink Panther

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Re: Wife Influenced by Brahma Kumaris Neglects Marital Dutie

Post22 Jan 2021

The judge’s order seems reasonable. Rs 450 a month in those days was substantial.
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ex-l

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Re: Wife Influenced by Brahma Kumaris Neglects Marital Dutie

Post22 Jan 2021

If we do the maths, married in 1933, relationship started to fail 24 years later. What do we estimate, aged 45 years old?

Marriage fails do to influence of the Brahma Kumaris, then BKs win by getting a full-time paid worker on a middle class manager's wage paid by the husband.

If she "surrenders", do the BKs get all of her alimony income?

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