The mother of Baby Ariha Shah who has been placed in foster care in Germany since September 2021 over allegations of parental abuse, is pleading that her child be allowed to celebrate Independence Day with the Indian Community in Germany. Dhara Shah who is holding a demonstration in Jantar Mantar Delhi to make her plea heard, says that the family is worried about her safety.
Ariha’s family says they will go to the German embassy and request the German Ambassador that since the Indian Independence day is around the corner, Ariha should be allowed to celebrate the Independence day of her country. Dhara said that it is her cultural right and it needs to be preserved.
“We will go to the German embassy. We will request the German ambassador that 15th August is coming and every Indian has the right to celebrate it. We will ask him to let Ariha celebrate the Indian Independence day. She should not be deprived of her cultural identity,” Dhara Shah said while speaking to media.
Baby Ariha, an Indian girl, who is now 2 years old has been under foster care in Berlin for more than 20 months.
"In June the court took away the total custody of her (Ariha Shah) and gave it to German Child Services. This was the court's one-sided decision. We were not given a chance to put out our point...They are not even allowing Ariha to use the Indian items...We have no clue about her situation now...We are very concerned about her safety...Ariha's cultural rights need to be preserved...We want Ariha to celebrate 15th August," said Dhara Shah in a video by ANI.
Early this month the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the German Ambassador over the issue. The MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that the case was a high priority and that Indian authorities have asked German counterpart to return the child at the earliest.
We are giving high priority to this case... We have called the German Ambassador this week regarding this. We've asked the German authorities to bring back the child at the earliest. We are in touch with the German authorities,” Bagchi said, as per an ANI report.
Ariha Shah was seven months old when she was placed under the care of Germany's Youth Welfare Office on September 23, 2021. The authorities allege child abuse as she suffered an injury which the parents claimed was an accident. The Indian diaspora in Germany is also extending their support to the parents and last month held a protest appealing for the safe return of the toddler to her parents with banners saying “Modiji Save Ariha!” and “Ariha is Indian”.