Child custody battle in Norway: Sushma Swaraj wants boy to be reunited with natural parents

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday made India's position clear in the case of custody battle of a child of Indo-Norwegian family in Norway.

New Delhi, Dec 27: Ahead of its Ambassador's meeting with authorities in Norway involving the custody of a child of a Indo-Norwegian family, India on Tuesday made it clear that it wants the five-and-a-half year boy united with his natural parents.

Taking a hard stance, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she refuses to accept that foster parents can take better care of the child than natural parents. In a series of tweets, Swaraj said, "Our Ambassador in Norway is meeting the Norwegian authorities today regarding Aryan. 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," Swaraj added.

Indian national Gurvinderjit Kaur and her husband, who is a Norwegian national, have alleged that authorities in that country have taken away their son, also a Norwegian national, on a frivolous complaint of abuse.

Kaur had also written to the Ministry seeking help in getting back her son, who has been taken away by the Norway Child Welfare Services. This is the third case since 2011 when children have been taken away from their Indian-origin parents by the authorities in Norway on the grounds of abuse.

In 2011, a three-year-old and a one-year-old were separated from their parents, prompting the then UPA government to take up the issue with Norway. The Norwegian court later allowed the children to be reunited with their parents.

In December 2012, an Indian couple was jailed on charges of ill treatment of their children, 7 and 2 years. Later, they were sent to their grandparents in Hyderabad.

PTI