Norway kids row: 'Govt doing its best to hand children over to uncle'

Kolkata: Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi yesterday said the Indian government was doing its best in ensuring that the two children caught in a custody row in Norway, were handed over to their uncle. “Things are improving. The government of India is doing its best in having the children handed over to their uncle,” Ravi told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. He, however, said he was not aware of the latest developments in the matter. [caption id=“attachment_255305” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya. Screengrab from ibnlive.com”]  [/caption] Three-year-old Abhigyan and one-year-old Aishwarya are caught in a custody row after Norway’s Child Welfare Department sent them to foster care claiming that their biological parents Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya were violating the country’s child rights laws. Although the Norway government agreed to award custody of their children to their uncle after prolonged diplomatic efforts by India, reports of martial discord between the parents has once again delayed the matter with the government postponing the hearing on the issue. Meanwhile, a city-based NGO has also appealed to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna to assist it in bringing the two children back to India. The NGO, ‘India’s Smile,’ said they were willing to bear all expenses in bringing them up till they attain adulthood at the age of 18. PTI