New Delhi [India], June 2 : Dhara Shah, the mother of baby girl Ariha Shah, on Friday said that she trusts the Government of India adding that if there will be a Prime Minister-level intervention in the case then her daughter can return to India.
The two-year-old baby girl, Ariha Shah, is currently under German foster care.
While talking to ANI, mother Dhara Shah said," Our child has been separated from us for the past 20 months. I trust the Indian government and I request that once there is PM-level intervention in the case then my daughter will return soon."
Earlier today CPI(M) MP John Brittas and 58 other members of Parliament belonging to 19 political parties 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 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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