Short Description:

This petition calls for the urgent return of Baby Ariha Shah, a 3.5-year-old Indian child who has been in German foster care for over three years. Despite her parents losing custody, Ariha's separation from her Indian culture and family raises serious concerns about her future. With upcoming talks between India and Germany, we urge the Indian government to prioritize Ariha's return, ensuring she grows up surrounded by her heritage and loved ones. Sign this petition to help bring Ariha home to India, where she truly belongs.

Petition Narrative:

Imagine being just 3.5 years old and taken away from your parents, your home, and everything familiar. This is what has happened to Baby Ariha Shah, an innocent little girl from India who has been living in German foster care for over three long years. Recently, her parents lost the custody battle in the higher court, and now the case is no longer subjudice. The custody of Ariha is now with German child services. The Indian government is asking Germany to return her, but they are not agreeing.

Present Condition of Ariha:

Ariha is alone in a country far away, separated from her Indian culture, her language, and her people. She is growing up in an environment where she has no connection to her roots or her identity. Currently, in the name of protection, she is only allowed to grow up with German people, speaking the German language, with no access to learning English, Gujarati, or Hindi, which is leading to the Germanisation of an Indian child. Till now 4 foster carers of Ariha has been changed, all of them are Germans and the German Child Service is not evaluating Indians to foster Ariha. Are all Indians unsafe for Ariha? This isn’t just about legal matters—this is about a small child who deserves to grow up surrounded by her family, her culture, and the people who love her.

Future Concerns for Ariha:

What will Ariha's future look like 16 years from now? When she turns 16, she will be sent out of the German foster care system, left to navigate life alone with no family, no relatives, and no support network. She will face the harsh reality of having no financial stability, as her current foster care provides for her basic needs, but what happens when that safety net is gone? Despite holding an Indian passport, she will have grown up as a German, with little to no connection to her Indian heritage. She will find herself caught between two worlds—an Indian by birth but a stranger to her own culture, and a German by upbringing but without the legal or familial ties that provide security. This future of isolation and uncertainty is not what any child deserves.

Coming Deals Between India and Germany:

India and Germany are friendly countries, but true friendship means caring about each other’s people. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is visiting India in October 2024 to discuss important matters, including a submarine deal between the two countries. India is planning to buy six submarines at a cost of 60,000 crores. We, the people of India, and many others who care about innocent Baby Ariha, demand that bringing her back to India should be a top priority during these talks. Ariha belongs in India, where she can be with her extended family and feel the warmth of her community. Every day she spends in foster care is a day she loses a part of herself—her culture, her language, her identity. She has already lost so much—please don’t let her lose everything.

Germany Releases Prisoners, Not an Indian Child:

This delay in bringing Ariha back is a bureaucratic problem. Ariha is an Indian citizen with an Indian passport. She has committed no crime in Germany, so why is she being kept away from her homeland? Recently, Germany released a prisoner, Vadim Krasikov, who was serving a life sentence in German Jail, back to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange. If prisoners can be released, why can’t an innocent baby be allowed to return to her country?

German Court’s Stand on Ariha’s Return to India:

The German court has stated that they cannot send Ariha back to India because they cannot evaluate the Indian protection system and have no jurisdiction over India. This reasoning not only overlooks the competence and commitment of India’s child protection agencies but also raises a critical question: why should an Indian child be kept in a foreign country’s foster care, isolated from her culture and family, simply because another nation’s judicial system cannot assess India’s capabilities? This stance unjustly prevents Ariha from returning to the safety of her homeland, where she could be cared for by her extended family and community. It is essential to recognize that Ariha’s best interests lie in her return to India, where she belongs.

German Government’s Stand on Ariha’s Return to India:

The German government has stated that they cannot send Ariha back to India because there is no existing treaty with India that facilitates the return of a child in such circumstances. However, this reasoning seems inconsistent when we consider that business deals, MOUs, and even major agreements like submarine deals can be negotiated and signed between our nations. If treaties can be created for commerce and defense, then why can't a special treaty be crafted for the sake of an innocent child’s return to her home country? The Indian government has already expressed its willingness to provide full assurance of Ariha’s protection as an Indian citizen. It is only fair and just that the German government makes an exception and works towards an agreement that prioritizes the welfare of this child.

We are very worried about what the future holds for Ariha. Growing up in a foreign country, with no family around, is a scary thought for any child. Ariha’s story is one of sadness and separation, but we can change how it ends. Together, we can bring her back to the life she deserves.

Indian Government’s Stand on Ariha’s Return to India:

The Indian government, through the efforts of Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Indian Foreign Ministry, has raised the case of Baby Ariha in multiple discussions with German political figures and officials. The German Ambassador to India was even summoned to address the concerns surrounding Ariha’s situation. Additionally, a Jain Gujarati foster family in India has been evaluated and proposed to the German government as a suitable environment for Ariha’s care. The Women and Child Development Ministry has also thoroughly explained India’s robust child protection capabilities, supported by strong laws and systems. Yet, despite these efforts, Germany has not provided a satisfactory response.

Our Demand:

We now urge the Indian government to negotiate more assertively with Germany for Ariha’s return. Germany seeks to strengthen business ties and attract a skilled workforce from India—Indian brains that will contribute to their economy. But what about the safety and well-being of Indian children and families in Germany? How can we trust in such a partnership when the welfare of an innocent Indian child remains unaddressed? It is time for Germany to demonstrate that they value not only India’s contributions to their economy but also the lives and well-being of its people.

Please sign this petition to bring Baby Ariha Shah back to India. Your signature can help bring her back to India, where she can grow up with love, care, and a sense of belonging. Let’s bring Ariha home—where she truly belongs.