NEW DELHI: There seems to be an end to an Indian couple's fight for their children in Norway. External Affairs Minister SM Krishna took up the matter at the highest level and sources say a solution may be in sight. The two children may possibly be handed over to their grandparents in India, sources said.
According to sources, the Norwegian government will not oppose this in court and in return, the grandparents will have to give an undertaking that the children will get full medical care.
SM Krishna spoke to his Norwegian counterpart and urged for an amicable situation. Earlier, he met Norway embassy officials on Monday. Krishna asked for the release and handover of the children to their parents or their grandparents in India.
The grandparents of the kids thanked the minister for his intervention in the matter.
"I appeal to everyone to help us and raise attention about this incident. I am grateful for what SM Krishna has done. I hope all the efforts can bring back our child," they said.
Earlier, Krishna instructed Indian Ambassador to Norway RK Tyagi to speak to Norwegian Foreign Ministry to ensure the release of two children.
The matter has been pursued actively with Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs after the strong demarcates that were made in Oslo and here on January 5, the sources said.
NRI couple Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya's children Abhigyan (3) and Aishwarya (1) were taken under protective care by Barnevarne (Norwegian Child Welfare Services), which claimed emotional disconnect with the parents, and placed them in foster parental care according to the local Norwegian court's directive.
On January 12, 2011, an official of the Indian Embassy in Oslo visited the foster home where the young children are staying and ascertained that they were in good health, the MEA said in a release.
Following the visit, the Embassy reiterated the concerns of Indian government to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the children were being deprived of the undoubted benefits of being brought up in their own ethnic, religious cultural and linguistic milieu.
In May last year, Anurup and Sagarika lost custody of both their children, after authorities objected to them hand-feeding the baby and sharing a bed with the kids.