World News | “German youth agency did not share any timely information about Indian foster carers willing to care for Ariha Shah”

New Delhi [India]June 3 (ANI): Reports on the German youth agency’s defense action in the Ariaha Shah case are inaccurate and appear to be an attempt to confuse the public, sources said on Saturday.

On September 23, 2021, the baby was placed in the custody of the German Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) at the age of 7 months. She has been in foster care for over 20 months now.

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“Reports defending the actions of the German youth agency in the Ariaha Shah case were inaccurate and appeared to be an attempt to confuse the issue. Parents were forced to contact the media as the agency failed to respond,” said one source.

“The agency did not share timely information on any Indian foster families willing to take care of their children. Also, the main issue remains not allowing Indian children to return to India,” the source added.

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Responding to media inquiries on Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said the ministry and the Indian embassy in Berlin had been insisting that Ariha Shah return to India

“This is an important issue, a sensitive one. Our efforts have always been guided by the best interests of the child and we believe that her socio-cultural rights can only be fully realized when she returns to her home country. A little. So we have been asking Germany to send the children back to India,” he said.

The Indian embassy has repeatedly asked German authorities to ensure that Aliha’s ties to “our cultural, religious and linguistic background are not compromised and has sought consular access to the child,” the spokesman said.

“Unfortunately, our request to preserve Ariha’s national and cultural identity has not been met in this regard. We are dismayed to learn of the sudden transfer of the child from her current foster parents to a dedicated foster care arrangement. The manner in which this transition has taken place is a matter of concern. We and the parents believe that such rapid changes are not in the child’s best interest and could have profound effects on her emotional and psychological development,” Bagchi said.

He said that India has a sound child welfare and protection system, and there are potential foster parents in India who are willing to raise their children in their own socio-cultural environment.

Bagchi said German authorities had learned about India’s child protection system and had also shared details of potential adoptive parents with them.

“Ariha’s continued placement with a German foster family and the violation of her social, cultural and linguistic rights is of deep concern to the Government of India and to her parents. We would like to reiterate that Ariha Shah is an Indian national and that her nationality and social status — — Cultural background is the most important determinant of her foster care location. We urge German authorities to send Ariha to India as soon as possible, which is her inalienable right as an Indian national. We remain committed to ensuring Ariha Shah’s return to India,” he said . (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the body of content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)