Maharashtra couple can meet separated child in German foster care: MP

A Thane couple residing in Germany will be allowed to meet their 3.6-year-old daughter, who was placed in foster care in 2021, once every month. The Indian government is working to ensure she is exposed to her cultural heritage and language, with efforts underway to bring her back to India.

THANE: A Thane couple employed in Germany will be able to meet their 3.6-year-old daughter-who was separated from them and assigned to a foster care by German courts in Sept 2021-once every month, said Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske.

Mhaske said the Indian govt is likely to communicate with their German counterparts to ensure that the girl, who hails from the Jain community, is introduced to her native language and cultural heritage by being taken for temple visits regularly while she remains in foster care in Germany.

Mhaske made the announcement following communication from S Jaishankar, Union minister of external affairs (MEA), informing him about the steps being taken by govt to not only ensure the girl is exposed to her native culture, but also efforts being taken to request their German counterparts to allow her to be brought to India.

It may be recalled that the custody of the then barely six-month-old girl was assigned to the Youth Welfare Authority (YWA) by German courts after local authorities suspected she was assaulted while under the care of her parents, who had shifted to the country for work.

The case was heard in the lower courts that granted custody of the child to the YWA. The Berlin Court of Appeals that later heard the case upheld the custody decision in July 2024, said Mhaske, citing the MEA communication.

"The family is from Mira-Bhayander and belongs to the Jain community, whose representatives have been requesting our govt and also approached me to assist them in bringing the child back... One of their major fears is the girl may lose touch with her native upbringing and get exposed to foreign culture. I raised the issue in the Lok Sabha early this month, following which the MEA interacted with their German counterparts," said Mhaske.

Despite the custody not being assigned to the parents, the first relief came after the YWA didn't object to granting the couple access to the child, said Mhaske, who added they are now pushing for increased interaction between the parents and their child.

"The MEA has told me that the girl is being taken to the temple and could also be introduced to Indian and Jain customs and festivals in addition to familiarising her with her mother tongue. The MEA has also assured me about steps being taken to bring the child back to India... I will meet the minister in the coming days and update him about how several Indian NGOs have volunteered to adopt and nurture the child if she is brought back," he said.