The two Indian children, who have been placed in emergency foster care in Norway since May last, could be back in their “natural habitat” after a court hearing there in June, Lok Sabha was informed today.
“We are taking it up, putting pressure...in June we would like to see the children back in their natural habitat,” Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur said while replying to a Calling Attention on the issue.
Maintaining that a Norwegian court was to hear the matter in June, she said the government was “doing all it can to bring the children back”.
In that hearing, Indian authorities are supposed to recommend to the court that the children – three-year-old Abhigyan and one-year-old Aishwarya - be placed in the custody of their uncle.
Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj made a strong plea to deal with the issue firmly and “stop all business relations as a counter-measure” to get the children back home.
She recalled how Italy was trying to get back their two marines, who had killed two fishermen from Kerala.
“What Norway has done amounted to interference in our sovereign affairs. The separation of children from their parents is a violation of human rights and the rights of children,” she said.
Ms. Swaraj said, “Time has come for us to take counter measures, not only on this issue, but also on issues like Italian security guards killing two of our fishermen. We cannot even get our children back.”
