Sagarika and Anurup Bhattacharya, who live in a town callled Stavanger, have been accused of negligence by child welfare officials; their children were taken from them in May 2011 and placed in foster care by child welfare authorities who say the parents are not fit to bring them up.
Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya lost custody of their three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter eight months ago after authorities branded their behaviour inappropriate(feeding them with their hands and sleeping in the same bed as them)
Child Welfare Authorities reported to a Norwegian court that Sagarika seemed "clinically depressed", though she says doctors have certified she was not depressed. They also accused her of force-feeding the children.
In November 2011, a Norwegian court ordered that Abhigyan and Aishwarya would live in a foster home till they turned 18. The court noted that son Abhigyan was diagnosed with attachment disorder; the boy, the court said, reacted if the mother raised her hand, as though she intended to hit him and concluded that he had either been hit before or had seen physical violence between the parent.
The children's visas expire on March 8,2012 and the parents want them to return to India before that. But Norway's Child Welfare authority says it can't take a decision before that. The court hearing can follow only after this decision.
The Indian government has told Norway officials that the two Indian children, Aishwarya (1) and Abhigyan (3) are "neither orphans nor Stateless persons, and enjoy the protection of the Indian State." The strong stand follows attempts by Norwegian officials to keep the children there after their visas expire on March 8,2012.
The Norwegian Ambassador to India Ann Ollestad has told NDTV that her country is "working constructively" towards ending the custody row by the end of March. She said that the dialogue between Norway's Child Welfare Service and the children's uncle, Arunabhas Bhattacharya, a dentist based in West Bengal, is "going very well." As a compromise, the Bhattacharyas have suggested that the children's custody be granted to Arunabhas, who has travelled to Norway and is being evaluated by child welfare officials there. He is allowed supervised visits with the children. Norway says the children's interest is of utmost importance.
India Sends Special Envoy to Oslo,Norway
Special envoy Madhusudhan Ganapathi has been rushed to Norway to convey India’s concerns in connection with the NRI children’s custody row and will meet the Norwegian Foreign Minister on Monday Feb 27,2012.Custody Row Ends & Kids Return to India - April 24,2012
The year-long ordeal for the Bhattacharya family in Norway ended on Tuesday April 24,2012 as the two kids - Abhigyan and Aishwarya - arrived in India with their paternal uncle Arunabhash accompanied by Norwegian authorities.
The kids were welcomed at the airport by their grandmother and Minister of State Preneet Kaur.
India has told Norway that Aishwarya and Abhigyan are "neither orphans nor Stateless persons, and enjoy the protection of the Indian State"
Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/norway-custody-row-top-10-developments-178918&cp
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