Ariha, a Jain Gujarati baby girl, has been in foster care in Berlin, Germany, for over 14 months. The parents and baby are all Indian citizens. The father was posted in Germany on a work visa as a software engineer.
The paternal grandmother injured the baby by accident in September 2021. When the parents took her to the hospital, they were accused of sexual assault, and the baby was removed.
The criminal investigation was closed without charges in February 2022, but the baby has still not been returned. Berlin Child Services has filed a civil case for the parental rights to be terminated. This case will take 2-3 years.
The parents are fighting the case in Germany but fear that Child Services are dragging it out in order to take advantage of the "continuity principle" of child law under which if a child has spent a significant time with the state-appointed carer, it is said to be settled there and should not be shifted back to the parents, even if they are found to be fit.
The German child services are completely insensitive to the baby's cultural and religious identity, insisting on a meat diet for her though she comes from an observant Jain family. They say they plan to have her adopted by a German family. This is a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which both India and Germany are a party.
For these reasons, the parents are asking for the baby to be repatriated to India and placed with the maternal family or a Jain family under the care and responsibility of Indian child welfare authorities. This has been done with Indian children in foster care in Norway, the USA and other countries.
In this way, the child is enabled to retain her heritage and develop bonds with her extended family while the parents fight their long, drawn-out battle in the foreign country.
How can you help?
Sign the petition seeking support for Ariha to receive her rights:
Join the Movement
Be a part of peaceful rallies organized by many communities across India. To know more, visit our home page & register as a volunteer/ supported. We will contact you when we need your support
Share, Engage, and Participate
Don't let the conversation die; visit our website - Share it with your friends and family.
Follow our social media platforms and repost our messages for a wider reach.
Justice arifa