"We are giving high priority to this case...," MEA summons German Ambassador on Ariha Shah's case
Aug 03, 2023
New Delhi [India], August 3 : The Ministry of External Affairs summoned the German Ambassador in connection with the case of Indian baby girl Ariha Shah who has been placed in foster care in Germany since September 2021 over allegations of parental abuse,
Marking this as a violation of the girl’s cultural and fundamental rights, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We are giving high priority to this case... We have called the German Ambassador this week regarding this. We've asked the German authorities to bring back the child at the earliest. We are in touch with the German authorities."
The child, Ariha Shah, was accidentally hurt by her grandmother in September 2021 following which the German authorities took the baby away. She is currently under German foster care. Since Baby Ariha's family urged the authorities to see into their matter, the Indian Government has consistently raised the issue with the German authorities.
In June, 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.
Earlier, in this regard, Bagchi said that the MEA and the Embassy of India in Berlin have been persistently advocating for the return of Ariha Shah to India.
He said that the government has urged 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 added.
"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.
