New Delhi: Family members of the parents of
two Indian children, who are lodged in a foster home in
Norway, along with leaders of political parties on Monday launched
a four-day protest demanding that the Norwegian government
send the kids back to India immediately.
Grandparents of the two children - Avigan and Aishwariya,
their family members, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma
Swaraj, CPI(M) MP Brinda Karat and CPI leader Annie Raja held
a sit-in near the Norwegian embassy here.
The leaders expressed solidarity with the family members
and said they would raise the issue when the Budget Session of
Parliament convenes on March 12.
"We want our children back home. This is our only demand.
Their visas are expiring on March 8. They should be brought
back before that. We demand that the Norwegian government
should not delay the process and send our children back soon,"
Manatosh Chakraborty, the grandfather of the kids, said.
Under an agreement arrived at last month following an
eight month-long custody row, three-year-old Abhigyan and his
one-year-old sister Aishwarya will be given to their uncle,
Arunabhash, who lives in Kolkata.
However, the Norwegian Childcare Services had last week
said it will take a decision by early March on whether the
custody of the children can be awarded to their uncle.
Holding placards which read `Norway Send the Children
Home`, the family members were also joined by students of
Springdales School in the capital.
Swaraj said everyone is doing the best to bring the
children back to India.
"The entire country is with them, there is no politics.
All parties and every citizen are with them. We would try that
before the Parliament session they come here or we will raise
the issue on the first day," she said.
Karat, who has been pursuing the case for the past few
months, said the visas of the two children should not be
extended and demanded that they should be sent back to India
immediately.
"Parents` visas have been extended, but here the question
is about the children. Norway should send the children to
their country. How can they impose their laws on our
children?" she asked.
PTI
