Sushma Swaraj protested after an Indian child was taken from his parents in Norway
Highlights
- 5-year-old Indian boy taken from Parents in Norway, sent to foster care
- Parents seek help from Sushma Swaraj; She says child must be returned
- Foster parents "ignorant to Indian culture, food habits", says Ms Swaraj
A five-year-old Indian boy who has been taken away from his parents in Norway over suspected abuse must be given back to his family, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj stressed in a series of tweets today.
"We want restoration of Aryan to his natural parents. This is our firm stand and Indian Ambassador will convey this to the Norwegian authorities," the minister tweeted.
Aryan, the son of Anil Kumar and Gurvinderjit Kaur, was placed in foster care on December 13 by the Norwegian government. Officials took him away from his kindergarten school in Oslo, saying there had been complaints about the child being beaten up.
The child is reportedly living in a children's home outside Oslo.
Ms Kaur, questioned for hours by the police, wrote to Ms Swaraj for help.
The minister came out in their support unequivocally.
Aryan and his father are Norwegian citizens. Gurvinderjit Kaur, an Indian passport holder, has alleged that her son is not doing well without his natural parents and has also not been properly fed as he was being given porridge and bread instead of Indian food.
This is the third case in recent years of children being taken away from their Indian-origin parents in Norway over allegations of abuse.
The two countries had a major falling out in 2011, when Norwegian welfare authorities removed two young Indian children from their parents. A court later allowed the children to return to India and stay in the custody of a relative.
In December 2012, an Indian couple was jailed on charges of ill-treating their children, 7 and 2. They were sent to their grandparents in Hyderabad.