Norway child row: Mother writes to govt; MEA to take action

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assures Indian govt will help the couple get their son back

The Indian woman whose son had been taken away by the Norwegian authorities has approached the Indian Embassy in Oslo seeking government intervention. Following this, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said it will chalk out the future course of action in the case.

Gurvinderjit Kaur had approached the Indian government with the "formal written" request in this regard, BJP leader Vijay Jolly said. 

Kaur and her husband, a Norwegian national, have alleged that authorities in that country have taken away their 5-year-old son Aryan, also a Norwegian national, on a frivolous complaint of abuse.

Confirming Kaur had approached the government, MEA officials said they were now "empowered" to pursue the matter with the Norwegian authorities and they will chalk out the future course of action in the case.

The Indian couple had first sought Jolly's help in getting back the custody of their child, after which he wrote to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who said India would provide them help.

In response, the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi asked for "restraint" in the case, assuring that it was being handled with "complete sensitivity and awareness".

According to Jolly, the Indian Ambassador "is slated to meet highly placed Norwegian officials in Oslo on December 27".

Jolly also maintained that according to the mother, the child is being "daily served porridge and bread while he is fond of Indian food".

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.