The NRI couple seeking back the custody of their five-year-old son Aryan may not get any immediate relief despite India officially taking up the case with Norway.
The Norway Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday said Government is handling the case with utmost care and as per law. “Norwegian authorities have reiterated that child welfare cases are handled in accordance to the Norwegian Child Welfare Act. Once again assure that the Norwegian authorities are dealing with the case with complete sensitivity and awareness,” the Embassy said in a statement.
Taking up the NRI couple’s fight for its child’s custody, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had asked the Indian ambassador in Oslo to meet the Norwegian authorities and raise the issue of Aryan being kept in a foster home.
“I refuse to accept that foster parents can take better care of the child than the natural parents. The foster parents are totally ignorant of the Indian culture and our food habits. We want restoration of Aryan to his natural parents. This is our firm stand and Indian Ambassador will convey this to the Norwegian authorities,” Swaraj said while tweeting about the Indian Government’s effort to rescue the child.
NRI Anil Kumar Sharma and his wife Gurinderjit Kaur had written to BJP leader Vijay Jolly seeking help from the Indian Government in getting back their child who was taken away by Norwegian authorities on a complaint of child beating. Sharma is the vice-president of Overseas Friends of the BJP in Norway. Both Sharma and his Aryan are Norwegian citizens but his wife Gurinderjit is an Indian passport holder.
According to Sharma, their son is in the custody of the Child Welfare Department, Norway and has been kept in a different city.
Sharma claimed that the Norwegian authorities have so far not been able to produce any evidence of child abuse against them and still the child was kept away from them. He alleged that his son is going through a lot of mental trauma.