The Andhra Pradesh couple arrested in Oslo for trying to “discipline” their seven-year-old son will face imprisonment if they are found guilty of the charge of child rights violation.
The prosecution has proposed a minimum term of 15 months for mother Anupama and 18 months for father V. Chandrasekhar for “gross OR repeated maltreatment” of Sai Sriram, a PTI report from Oslo said.
Nine months ago, the boy told his schoolteachers that his parents had threatened to send him back to India if he did not stop “bed-wetting” and “urinating in school and on the road.”
The judgment is to be delivered by an Oslo district court on Monday and Mr. Chandrasekhar and Anupama, hailing from Hanuman Junction of Krishna district, may well be jailed, said a police statement. The Court of Appeals in Oslo is hearing the defence appeal before pronouncing its verdict.
Meanwhile, A. Kalyan Chakravarthy, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, who has been treating Sai Sriram for the past few months, said the boy suffered from mild to moderate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. “While he is weak owing to insufficient nutrition and is also emotionally high-strung, he is showing signs of improvement. All he needs is to be with his parents now,” the doctor said, adding he had sent a report on the boy’s condition to defence counsel. Achyuta Rao, president of the Andhra Pradesh Child Rights Association, said while he appreciated the Norwegian government’s mechanism and law to protect the welfare of children, this was clearly a case of abuse of child rights. “The boy has to be given back to his parents.”
At least one report I've read quotes Kurt Lir, Head of Prosecution, Oslo
Police Department, telling PTI that "there were burn marks and scars on
the body of the child, who has also been beaten by the belt." That's no
"mere scolding". If it is true and is backed by evidence, the couple
have no case.
Norway is correct and it brings shame on us. Why travel to the West if it is not to embrace their systems but to continue archaic practices of our past. It is little wonder that there is so much animosity against Asians in Europe as we appear to be barbarians
The moral of this incident is, Indians who go overseas on migration, study or work, should assimilate to the culture of that respective country. Its either assimilate or simply return to India, than facing the consequences of not abiding to rules of another country.
Its rather inappropriate for Indians to expect change the rules of another country for their convenience.
It is a good thing to protect child rights especially in countries that have a history of crimes against children. However most middle class Indian's do know how to take care of their Childern. They do it much better than most westerners. It is the westernized Indian (the one who thinks eating cereal is healthier than Idly's or Paranthas) who has no idea about child rearing, that need to checked. Not the Indians with traditional upbringing. The west has a lot to learn on Nutrition and health. At the moment the western concept of health is to make the body into a huge parasite (Huge bones and Muscles are nothing but parasites) that will just demand calories which cannot be supplied while keeping the organs healthy. Sadly Indian's protesting against Norway embassies ww is not a sight we can expect to see. (Yes, the west is always right, they have skyskrapers and we don't) It is high time that Indian ways or upbringing are protected.
Think of it this way: A simple conversation at home in the morning
while getting ready for school
Kid might have wasted time in the bathroom playing with soap.
Parent: You took long in the bathroom. We are running late. Please
dont waste time.
Kid: I wasnt wasting time.
Parent: Did you remember to use the toilet
Kid: Ofcourse I did. ( even if he didnt)
Parent: Are you sure?
Kid: Yes.
Parent: Last time you had not . Even if we are late , please use the
toilet now.
Kid- NO I did use. I dont need to.
Parent: There is no toilet in the bus
Kid- I really did. I flushed real slow, it made no noise.
Parent:- Can you try once again. You must use it before you go
anywhere.
Kid - Really . I did.
Parent- If you wet yourself once again, We would go back to India,
Norway is strict about some things.
Kid. REally I dont have to use it.
Kid decided to go to the toilet once he reaches school. But alas.
Then the kid avoids encountering the "I told you so" to save his face.
Ppls in india think they only can upbring batter their children in which they themselves have
been brought up. If a child do something unpleasant the classical proverb comes " ek
Chanta maarunga " or threaten some another way. Children need care and sympathy in
such disorder cases. In Scandinavian countries you can't do such things. There are
doctors, psychologist and all other means to help children. But parents ( most immigrants)
don't have knowledge to understand the basics. They are thought only thru book how to
clear an exam and that's it. Here during their being first time parents take classes to
understand and solve the uppcoming responsibilities. That's why such clashes occurs.
Parents telling a 7 year old child to send him back to India if he did not stop “bed-wetting” and “urinating in school and on the road” is a very minor incident compared to forcefully keeping the same children away from his parents.
While a 7 year child still wetting bed is somewhat rare, scolding him for this bad habit is not at all cruel. In this case, there was no physical or sexual abuse done. So where is the child abuse?
Norway authorities are doing a more severe and cruel child abuse by keeping this child away from his parents.
Considering recent happenings in Norway, I feel that, parents in Norway are not even allowed to teach good habits to their children or they are not allowed to ask children to stop bad habits. If they try to do so, they will jailed for child abuse and their children will be permanently taken away from them.
Not only in Norway, the legal position is the same in India also. Here
also the child or on his behalf a criminal complaint can be registered
in similar situation against parents or teachers. Kindly recall the
spurt of cases against Teachers and Schools in our country itself and
be informative of the legal position. Being parents it is our bounden
legal and social obligation to care for our minor children without
getting ourselves accused of child abuse or neglect. The same applies
to the present day's minor child to take care of his elderly parents
when he attains the age of major.
The Norwegian government is going over board on the issue. Hopefully it is not their subtle way of saying that they do not want Indians. In the event, it is time to ponder and, if necessary, retaliate. At the very least Indian Government must issue an advisory in the matter.
They insult a father by calling his son a thief and a coward. (How do we
know that the case was dealt with sensitively, i.e., taking the father's
culture and ignorance into account as well as the child's?) When he
reacts the only way he knows, they jail him. Would they act like this if
the family was white? This is nothing but racism against all Indians, to
make sure no Indian ever dreams of taking a job from a Norwegian.
This kid resembles of me when I was one. However, my father takes
pride (considers it something to be proud of) in stopping me from
wetting my bed in a single slap...
I just wish these rules are in India. Unfortunately, many parents
think that children are to be tamed and resorting to any measures is
acceptable as it is their child. Had these rules been in India, my
childhood and consequently my adult life would have been more
bearable...
We need not learn it from Norway. Indian parents know how to bring up their children but, some common practice by Indians may look strange for others. Indian couple are in Norway on a assignment from TCS. Hence it is the responsibility of the TCS to provide leagal help to them. Let government India ask it's citizens to avoid the visit to Norway.
After one year punishment the entire family will be deported to India?. Again their son will be deported right?. I dont understand their legal system.
Would be easy to blame the authorities which are equally strict with its own nationals also.
Wetting a bed is not under the control of the child.
There are no checks on such kinds of ignorance,lack of counseling for children in India and teachers themselves abuse them sometimes.
All help must be provided for the couple but the situation should be handled maturely.
In an earlier case of bengali couple it was found later on that the mother was autistic and a compromise was reached..
Think of the mental agony undergone by the 7 year old boy and it shows
how the Norway Govt expects its citizen to be law abiding whatever the
high position one hold. In India too, there have been school going
children being treated by parents in manner causing mental agony. Such
cases should be dealt with strictly under our laws.
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