[Marxistindia] Letter to Dr. S. Jaishankar

[news from the cpi(m)]

January 07, 2026
Press Release

Dr. John Brittas, Permanent Invitee, Central Committee of the Communist 
Party of India (Marxist), and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, urges 
Union Government to leverage German Chancellor’s India visit to secure 
repatriation of Baby Ariha Shah.

In a letter to Dr. S. Jaishankar, Union Minister of External Affairs, 
the MP urged urgent high-level diplomatic intervention during the 
forthcoming visit of the German Chancellor to secure the repatriation of 
Baby Ariha Shah, an Indian citizen who has remained in foster care in 
Germany for over four and a half years despite the closure of all 
criminal allegations against her parents.

Dr. Brittas highlighted that Ariha, now approximately five years old, 
continues to remain under the custody of German Child Services even 
after the German hospital concerned has categorically ruled out any 
evidence of abuse and a court-appointed psychologist has recommended 
restoration of parental custody. Yet, German authorities persist in 
pursuing termination of parental rights and adoption within Germany.

The MP underscored that Ariha is a passport-holding Indian citizen whose 
rights to family life, cultural identity, language and religion - 
guaranteed under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - are 
being violated. He expressed serious concern over reports that the child 
is being deprived of contact with her extended family in India and 
denied participation in Indian cultural practices.

Drawing attention to the child’s emotional vulnerability, Dr. Brittas 
noted that Ariha’s foster placement has been changed five times, 
depriving her of any stable caregiving environment. At present, the only 
consistent emotional support in her life consists of bi-monthly parental 
visits - a fragile arrangement that now faces uncertainty due to the 
parents’ visa limitations in Germany. This matter has also been raised 
by several Members of Parliament, reflecting broad national concern over 
the humanitarian dimensions of the case.

The MP emphasised that the forthcoming first official visit of German 
Chancellor Friedrich Merz to India on 12 - 13 January presents a 
critical diplomatic opportunity to resolve the issue at the highest 
political level. He urged that the matter be taken up decisively during 
the bilateral engagement to ensure a humane and lawful outcome in the 
best interests of the child.

We are herewith attaching the letter for publication.

Muralidharan
(For CPI(M) Central Committee office)



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