Man filed for divorce because his wife served Maggi instant noodles for every meal, says Indian judge
By Bryan Ke
A district judge in India recently recounted a previous case in which a husband filed for divorce because his wife could only cook instant noodles.
Principal district and sessions court judge ML Raghunath recalled what he described as the “Maggi case,” named for the brand of the noodles involved, during a press conference at a court in Mysuru, a city in the Indian state of Karnataka, on May 27.
“The husband said his wife did not know how to prepare any food other than Maggi noodles. It was noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Raghunath said, withholding details about dates and names. “He complained that his wife went to the provision store and brought only instant noodles.”
Raghunath noted that the case was lodged while he was still the district judge in the city of Ballari. Since the couple sought divorce by mutual consent, they needed to prove that they “have been living separately for a period of one year or more, that they have not been able to live together and that they have mutually agreed that the marriage should be dissolved,” in accordance with the Special Marriage Act of 1954.
The district judge also noted that divorce cases have “drastically” increased through the years. “Couples have to stay together for at least a year before seeking divorce. If there was no such law, there would be divorce petitions filed directly from wedding halls,” he said.
Indian courts purportedly receive divorce cases from couples with a variety of issues, such as using the wrong side of a plate for salt. Sometimes, these cases are filed a day after a couple gets married.
Recently, an intoxicated man from the Indian state of Telangana called a hotline to complain about his wife, who was not prepared to cook mutton curry for him. Authorities interceded and then registered a nuisance case against the man for improperly using the hotline.
Raghunath said courts often receive more divorce cases from couples in urban areas than from those in rural parts of India.
“In rural areas, village panchayats intervene and settle the problems,” the district judge explained. “Women have no independence and their fear of society and family sentiments force them to cope with the situation. But in cities, women are educated and financially independent.”
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