Jaya Bachchan requests Indian government to bring back baby girl Ariha Shah from Germany

Just like the Sagarika Chakraborty case, Ariha Shah case too deserves a happy ending. According to reports, veteran actress and Samajwadi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan on Wednesday requested the Indian government to bring back Dhara’s child Ariha Shah, who has beenliving in a foster care in Berlin, Germany for around two years.

“I am presenting Dhara Shah in front of everyone whose daughter Ariha Shah has been taken by the German govt for 2 years now. She has come to seek help from the parliamentarians. Due to cultural differences, they have taken a strict stand and we will put in a request to the external affairs minister and the German embassy as well,” said Bachchan while talking to the media.

“We request the Indian govt to bring the child and keep her in a foster home in India. The necessary judgement should be made by the Indian govt and not by the German govt,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Ariha Shah was accidentally hurt by her grandmother in September 2021 following which the German authorities took the baby away, who is currently under German foster care.

On July 20, India said it remained engaged with Germany for the return of the baby girl, according to a PTI report. India has been maintaining that it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment.

Similarity of Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway and the Ariha Shah case

Actor Rani Mukherjee’s film Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway is inspired by real-life events and a story of a mother and her struggle to get her children back. The story of movie is based on the life and battle of an Indian mother named Sagarika Chakraborty in Norway. Titled Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is based on Sagarika’s book The Journey Of A Mother.

 Sagarika is a woman who stood up against the government of Norway to fight for the right to be reunited with her children after they were taken away from her and placed in foster care and were told that they will not be returned until the age of 18.

The performance of Rani Mukerji in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway has been inspired by the real-life happenings of a woman named Sagarika Chakraborty, who went through similar struggles when her children were taken away from her.

According to reports, the Government of India’s response came after Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs highlighting their case and help the parents to get Ariha back home.

(With added inputs from agencies)