The Kerala government on Saturday decided to apprise the family court in Thiruvananthapuram of the demand put forth by Anupama S Chandran, daughter of a CPI(M) local committee member, whose baby had been put up for adoption by her parents last year allegedly without her consent. The government pleader has been tasked with informing the Vanchiyoor Family Court, which deals with adoption matters, about the latest situation, said Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD) Veena George said.
She also said that the WCD has been asked to look into the demand of the mother and all other matters related to the incident. "The Vanchiyoor court was yet to pronounce the final order regarding the adoption. Under these circumstances, the state adoption agency has filed a petition before the court informing Anupama's demand," Minister Veena told the media.
The Minister said that the government's stand is that the child should be with the mother and the government has decided to intervene before the final adoption order.
"Adopting parents register with the national level central adoption and resources agency for adopting a child. All these matters are monitored by the court. The final order is yet to come. It's a complex process. But our policy is that the child should be with the mother," Minister Veena said.
Anupama on Saturday morning staged a hunger strike before the state secretariat demanding that her child be returned to her.
On hearing the news about the government decision to inform the court about her demand, she said that she was now hopeful that she will get her child back. "Very happy to hear that. Now I have hope that I will get my child back. We were planning to go to the court after this protest," she told the media when asked about the government's decision to approach the court.
Anupama had accused her parents of taking away her newborn child forcibly from her soon after its birth a year ago and alleged that though she had complained about it to the police several times since April, they were reluctant to register a case against the family members.
It was after a controversy broke out and several media covered it that a case was registered earlier this week against six people, including her parents, sister and husband, and father's two friends. The Peroorkada police said that the delay happened as they were awaiting legal opinion.
Reacting to the developments, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly VD Satheesan said that the CPI(M) was taking the law into its hands. "There is a law of the land prevailing in this country. The CPI(M) is but ignoring that and the result is that a party leader's daughter is now protesting in front of the state secretariat asking for her daughter," Satheesan said.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said that what happened to Anupama was extremely unjust and unfair. "Taking the baby away from the mother is a criminal act. I think an investigation is on. We all have to stand with Anupama and ensure that she gets her baby back," she said.
Earlier in the day, various youth organisations staged a protest march to the office of the Child Welfare Committee office, where the baby is believed to have been handed over by Anupama’s father. He had at one point said that he gave the baby up at the state-run electronic cradle Ammathottil and another time said it was handed over to the CWC.