A couple from Gujarat ended their 23-year marriage after a long dispute over eating onion and garlic, leading the High Court to uphold their divorce. Judges agreed the prolonged conflict over dietary choices made the relationship irreparable today.
A couple from Gujarat ended their 23-year marriage, primarily due to a long-standing disagreement that began over dietary preferences related to the non-consumption of onion and garlic.
The Gujarat High Court supported the divorce ruling from an Ahmedabad family court, resolving the ongoing conflict regarding these common ingredients.
A division bench comprising Justices Sangeeta Vishen and Nisha Thakore dismissed the wife’s appeal against the divorce after she ceased to oppose it, as outlined in a High Court order dated November 27.
The central issue was the wife’s principle of avoiding onion and garlic, stemming from her adherence to the Swaminarayan sect, which prohibits these ingredients.
Since their marriage in 2002, the husband’s mother had been preparing separate meals for the wife, ensuring no onion or garlic was included, while meals for other family members contained these ingredients.
The court noted,
“Following the religion and consumption of onion and garlic was the trigger point of the differences between the parties.”
Although the wife initially contested the family court’s decision, she did not resist the dissolution of the marriage. However, her appeal was focused on the alimony awarded by the family court.
The bench confirmed the family court’s divorce ruling.
Previously, the husband had reported torture and harassment by the wife to the Mahila Police Station in Ahmedabad. In 2007, the wife left the matrimonial home with their child due to ongoing disputes with her husband.
Subsequently, in 2013, the husband filed for divorce in the Ahmedabad family court, claiming he had experienced cruelty and that the wife had deserted him.
The family court granted the divorce in May 2024. During hearings at the High Court, the wife argued that despite a family court directive, she had not received maintenance for 18 months. Her attorney informed the court of an outstanding maintenance total of Rs 13,02,000, with only Rs 2,72,000 received as interim payments.
The husband had earlier deposited Rs 4,27,000 during the litigation process.
The High Court directed that this amount be transferred to the wife after verification and instructed the husband to deposit the remaining balance with the family court for transfer to the wife’s bank account.
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