Who Is Baby Ariha Shah - Story of Indian Child in German Foster Care as New Delhi Seeks Her Urgent Return

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday raised the matter of Indian baby Ariha Shah -- who has been living in a foster care in Berlin for over four years -- with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The Prime Minister raised the issue with German Chancellor during his India visit as New Delhi is seeking her urgent return to the country so that the baby can live with her parents and raised in an Indian environment.The German authorities had taken custody of Ariha on September 23, 2021, when she was seven months old, alleging that the parents harassed her.

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Who is Ariha Shah and What's Her Case

Baby Ariha Shah is an Indian child born in 2021 to Dhara and Bhavesh Shah, who were living in Germany’s Berlin after her father secured a software engineering job there.When Ariha was seven months old, she suffered an accidental injury while under her grandmother's care, prompting German authorities to intervene and place the infant into foster care in 2021.Despite the findings, German child services claimed the injuries reflected negligence in care, not abuse, and a court terminated parental custody, keeping Ariha in foster care for nearly 40 months.

What's The Version of Ariha’s Family

Ariha's family says that the separation is due to a misunderstanding, noting criminal charges were dismissed long ago, yet she has been moved between foster homes without being reunited with her parents.Following detailed medical examinations, German police concluded in early 2022 that Ariha had not been sexually abused, closed the criminal case, and formally cleared her parents of all allegations completely.ALSO READ | Good News! Germany Announces Visa-Free Transit for Indian Passport Holders After Modi-Merz Ahmedabad Meet

How Indian Govt Is Raising the Matter with Germany

The Centre has been pressing the German authorities for her early return to India, arguing that it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural, and social environment.Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a media briefing on Monday, said that PM Modi raised the issue with Merz when the two leaders held talks in Ahmedabad."This is a very sensitive issue, and we have been discussing it with the German side, both with the government in Berlin and with the embassy in New Delhi, for a long time," he said.ALSO READ | Why Is Germany Betting Big on India? Submarines, Green Tech and Students - Explained"At one time, this was a legal issue; now, we should approach it as a humanitarian issue. We are aware of the pain and difficulties of the family, and we are trying to help them in every way," Misri said.The foreign secretary said the focus is currently on ensuring that Ariha is raised in an Indian environment."We are trying to ensure that Baby Ariha is raised as much as possible in an Indian environment, whether it is interacting with Indian people or participating in Indian festivals being celebrated in Germany," he said.Misri said India is committed to raising the matter at every level with the German government."We will continue following up this matter with the German government and will always be with the family. We don't see it apart from the overall ties with Germany; it gets the same priority as other issues," he said.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also raised Ariha's issue with his German counterparts.Ariha's parents have been urging the government to ensure her return to India. The parents are currently allowed to visit her twice a month.With inputs from PTI