- Friday, February 28, 2025
Sources in India’s ministry of external affairs said Ariha’s continued stay in the German foster care and “infringement” of her rights is of deep concern to the Indian government and the parents.
By: Shubham Ghosh
India on Friday (2) urged Germany to send back at the earliest an Indian baby girl who has been living in foster care in Berlin for over 20 months, asserting it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment.
The German authorities had taken custody of Ariha Shah on September 23, 2021, when she was seven months old, alleging that the parents harassed her.
Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA), said Ariha’s continued stay in the German foster care and “infringement” of her social, cultural and linguistic rights is of deep concern to the Indian government and the parents.
On Thursday (1), Eknath Shinde, chief minister of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, wrote a letter to external affairs minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar seeking his assistance in bringing Ariha back home.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde writes to EAM Dr S Jaishankar, drawing his attention to the case of baby Ariha Shah, "stranded in foster home in Germany since last 20 months" and whose parents met him last week.
The CM requests EAM to "give in-person appointment to the parents to… pic.twitter.com/TxqDGUL4Lr
— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2023
“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,” Bagchi said.
⚡️Most Important News⚡️
Indian Government ask Germany to Return #BabyAriha to India ASAPHon @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia @M_Lekhi thank you for your support to Gujarati couple who have struggled to get baby back from Germany @ABaerbock @GermanyDiplo @mieknathshinde Bless you… https://t.co/Zo26juuHgx pic.twitter.com/iI4D75n5Ko
— Ravi Karkara (@ravikarkara) June 2, 2023
“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. Bagchi was replying to a question on the matter during his weekly media briefing.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he said.
Bagchi said the MEA and the Indian embassy in Berlin have been persistently advocating for the return of Ariha to India. He 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,” he said.
“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 said.
(With PTI inputs)
