Sushma Swaraj on Custody Row: Norway Authorities Should Return Aryan To 'Natural Parents'

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday pitched for an immediate release of five-year-old Aryan who was taken away from his parents by the Norwegian Child Welfare Department (NCWD) over allegations that he was a child abuse victim.

In a series of tweets, Swaraj – who underwent a kidney transplant at AIIMS – on Tuesday said, “The foster parents are totally ignorant of the Indian culture and our food habits. I refuse to accept that foster parents can take better care of the child than the natural parents."

“Our Ambassador in Norway is meeting the authorities today regarding Aryan. We want restoration of Aryan to his natural parents. This is our firm stand and Indian Ambassador will convey this to the Norwegian authorities," her tweet reads.

Aryan was taken into custody by the NCWD on the December 13 from his kindergarten school in Oslo.

Earlier, Aryan’s mother Gurvinder Kaur rubbished all charges and said, "My son wants to return home and he is not eating properly. I am thankful to Union Minister Sushma Swaraj for all her help.

Aryan's father Anil kumar too spoke to CNN-News18 and claimed that the Norwegian authorities are pressurising his son to lie against them.

This is the third case since 2011 when children have been taken away from their Indian-origin parents by the authorities in Norway on the grounds of abuse.

In 2011, a three-year-old and a one-year-old were separated from their parents, prompting the then UPA government to take up the issue with Norway. The Norwegian court later allowed the children to be reunited with their parents.

In December 2012, an Indian couple was jailed on charges of ill treatment of their children, 7 and 2 years. Later, they were sent to their grandparents in Hyderabad.