UK: Indian diaspora voices for repatriation of Baby Ariha Shah to India

LONDON: The Indian diaspora including small kids in the United Kingdom raised their voices to advocate for the repatriation of an Indian baby named Ariha Shah, who is in German foster care, to India and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter.

In the UK, the Indian diaspora came together and raised their collective voice for the little baby girl Ariha.

The diaspora chanted slogans like, "Modiji ask Germany to send Ariha back home to India," and "Germany send Ariha home."

The kids were seen carrying posters with PM Modi's face and baby Ariha Shah.

The child, Ariha Shah, was accidentally hurt by her grandmother in September 2021 following which the German authorities took the baby away. She is currently under German foster care. Since Baby Ariha's family urged the authorities to look into their matter, the Indian Government has consistently raised the issue with the German authorities.

Since the baby was sent to foster care, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Embassy of India in Berlin have been persistently advocating for the return of Ariha Shah to India.

Ahead of Independence Day, Dhara Shah, mother of Ariha Shah held a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in August demanding that German authorities allow Ariha to celebrate Independence Day with the Indian Community in Germany in order to protect her cultural rights.

Rajya Sabha member and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan in August also urged the Centre to bring back Indian baby girl Ariha Shah.

Jaya Bachchan urged the External Affairs Minister to bring the child back to India.

"I am presenting Dhara Shah in front of everyone whose daughter Ariha Shah has been taken by the German govt for 2 years now...She has come to seek help from the parliamentarians. Due to cultural differences, they have taken a strict stand & we will put in a request to the external affairs minister & the German embassy as well...We request the Indian govt to bring the child & keep her in a foster home in India," Jaya said.

She urged the government to bring back baby Ariha Shah.

In June, CPI(M) MP John Brittas and 58 other members of Parliament belonging to 19 political parties signed the joint letter addressed to the German Ambassador to India for the repatriation of a two-year-old baby girl Ariha Shah, who is currently under German foster care, to India.

Even in Germany, where the child is kept in foster care, the Indian community staged a protest in July for the repatriation of Ariha Shah. Around 150 to 200 Indians gathered in Frankfurt city of Germany to stage a peaceful protest demanding the repatriation of Ariha who has been in foster care in Germany since September 23, 2021.

In the same month, a group of members from the Jain community staged protests outside the German Consulate in Kolkata demanding the repatriation of Ariha Shah.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also said that India is in touch with the German authorities and trying every bit to bring Aroiha Shah back.