New Delhi [India], June 2 : CPI(M) MP John Brittas and 58 other members of Parliament belonging to 19 political parties on Friday have signed the joint letter addressed to the German Ambassador to India for the repatriation of a two-year-old baby girl, Ariha Shah, who is currently under German foster care, to India.
"59 Members of Parliament belonging to 19 parties across the political spectrum have come together to lend a united voice for the repatriation of a two-year-old baby girl currently in German foster care back to India," the release said.
In this regard, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the MEA and the Embassy of India in Berlin have been persistently advocating for the return of Ariha Shah to India.
While addressing the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "MEA and the Embassy of India, Berlin, have been persistently advocating for the return of Ariha Shah to India. The child is an Indian national and was placed in the custody of Germany's Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) on 23 September 2021, when she was 7 months old. She has now been in foster care for more than 20 months."
"Our efforts have been guided by the best interests of the child, which we believe can be fully realised only when she is in her home country where her socio-cultural rights can be safeguarded. Accordingly, we have been requesting Germany to return the child to India. The Embassy has repeatedly requested German authorities to ensure that Ariha's connection with her cultural, religious and linguistic background is not compromised and sought consular access to the child as well as cultural immersion at the Indian Cultural Centre in Berlin," he added.
He further stated that the Embassy of India in Berlin has repeatedly requested German authorities to ensure that Ariha's connection with her cultural, religious and linguistic background is not compromised adding that requests in this regard for safeguarding Ariha's national and cultural identity have not been met.
"Our efforts have been guided by the best interests of the child, which we believe can be fully realised only when she is in her home country where her socio-cultural rights can be safeguarded. Accordingly, we have been requesting Germany to return the child to India. The Embassy has repeatedly requested German authorities to ensure that Ariha's connection with her cultural, religious and linguistic background is not compromised and sought consular access to the child as well as cultural immersion at the Indian Cultural Centre in Berlin," MEA Spokesperson Bagchi said.
"German Foreign Minister H.E. Annalena Baerbock, during her visit to India, had also conveyed that the German side was "also bearing in mind the cultural identity of each child that is taken care of by the youth offices in Germany." Unfortunately our requests in this regard for safeguarding Ariha's national and cultural identity have not been met," he added.
MEA spokesperson Bagchi said that manner in which the child was shifted away from her current foster parent to a specialised foster care arrangement is a matter of concern.
"We are dismayed to learn that the child was abruptly shifted away from her current foster parent to a specialised foster care arrangement. The manner in which this shift was carried out is a matter of concern. We and the parents believe that this rapid change is not in the child's best interest and could have far-reaching consequences for her emotional and mental development," the MEA spokesperson said.
"India has a robust child welfare and protection system, and there are potential foster parents in India who are willing to bring up the child in her own socio-cultural milieu. The German authorities have been made aware of India's child protection system and the details of potential foster parents have also been shared with them. Ariha's continued placement in German foster care and infringement of her social, cultural and linguistic rights is of deep concern to the Government of India and the parents," he added.
He further mentioned that government urge German authorities should send Ariha to India at the earliest.
"We would like to reiterate that Ariha Shah is an Indian national and her nationality and socio-cultural background is the most important determinant of where her foster care is to be provided. We urge German authorities to do all that is necessary to send Ariha to India at the earliest, which is also her inalienable right as an Indian national. We remain committed to ensuring the return of Ariha Shah to India," he said.
The child, Ariha Shah was accidentally hurt by her grandmother in September 2021 following which the German authorities took the baby away.
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