India on Friday expressed its “dismay” over the treatment of baby Ariha Shah by the German authorities. The toddler was taken away from her Indian parents in Germany by child protection services nearly two years ago. Meanwhile, German sources defended the actions of the German Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt), that had been given custody of the girl in September 2021 after allegations that the 7-month-old girl had been physically abused at home, and said the court process in Germany made it unlikely Ms. Shah would be returned “soon”.
In particular, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is concerned about the shifting of the child from one foster facility to the other, and the Indian Embassy has repeatedly sought consular access to the child as well as “cultural immersion” for Ms. Shah at the Indian Cultural Centre in Berlin.
“We are dismayed to learn that the child was abruptly shifted away from her current foster parent to a specialised foster care arrangement. The manner in which this shift was carried out is a matter of concern,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi responding to questions at the weekly media briefing.
