BY DR M D P DISSANAYAKE

It has been reported that the Sri Lankan court has indicted Mrs Asoka Tilakaratne, mother of Dhanuna Tilakaratne over money laundering charges. Dhanuna is absconding arrest over several issues and he is at large. The lady who gave birth to Dhanuna is now in a state of quandary being caught between rock and hard place. What are the intentions of a son or daughter who dare not take care of the parents, but simply wish to achieve their personal objectives.

The famous Mother and Son TV drama series is an excellent demonstration of a son trying to use the mother to his advantage. Ruth Craknell who plays the motherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s character of Maggie in the drama series, lives with her son Arthur ( Garry McDonald) and looks after her needs in her old age. In contrast, the other son Robbie ( Henri Szeps), a dentist by profession, lives separately with his wife. Ironically, Maggie seems to favour Robbie more than Arthur. On the other hand, Robbie will try every possible opportunity to make money out of his mother but will not take care of her. Robbie will never visit his mother, except when he needs some financial favour from his mother. Robbie will do everything possible to show the mother that he loves his mum more than brother Arthur.

These incidents cannot be limited to TV drams. Unfolding events in Sri Lanka is a clear demonstration of the attitude of modern day children towards their parents.

In a recently published report in the State of Victoria in Australia, there has been an overwhelming cases of children abusing their parents to gain financial benefits. In one case, a daughter who has come to live with the mother (80 yrs of age) for two weeks, has left an unpaid telephone bill of A$3,000 plus to be paid by the mother. In a another incident, a daughter has attempted to put her father in jail in NSW, as he was not giving the approval for her marriage. The same daughter, has slapped her mother on her 50th birthday, as she suspected the mother has disclosed information about her secret love affair to the father.

Today we sit back and think that both our parents are no more in this world. Though everyone might say that we have looked after our parents very well, I still regret that I could not make a Buckingham Palace for my parents and make them live like a King and Queen. Why should any child wants to see his or her parents in Jail?