The reunion of 23-year-old Geeta, who had strayed into Pakistan by mistake over a decade ago, with her ostensible Indian family was set up as a perfect photo-op, designed to tug at the heartstrings. But it didn’t exactly go as the government had hoped.
On Monday, soon after her arrival in Delhi, deaf-mute Geeta refused to recognise the Mahato family from Bihar, which had claimed that she was their long-lost daughter Heera. Janardhan Mahato had claimed that they lost their eldest child, Geeta (Heera), years ago at a mela in Jalandhar, that she was married and had a son. The young woman denied being married or having a child.
This wasn’t the Bajrangi Bhaijan-like script that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance had prepared.
The government was hoping that Geeta’s return and reunion with the Mahato family, two days before the third phase of the crucial Bihar assembly election, would bring it some credit. It was optimistic particularly since Geeta, while in Karachi, had identified the Mahato couple as her parents from among the many photographs she was shown.
'Daughter of India'
At a special press briefing on Monday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj narrated the story of Geeta’s return and emphasised how she had personally pursued this matter with the Pakistan government. On the subject of Geeta’s family, Swaraj said doctors have taken blood samples of the Mahato couple and the young woman and will conduct DNA tests to determine whether she is their daughter. Till then, Geeta will be housed in an institution in Indore.
“In order to remove all doubts that may arise due to the long time that has passed, we have decided to go for a DNA test. But whether we find Geeta’s parents or not, we will take care of her,” Swaraj told mediapersons, while Geeta seated next her could not stop smiling. "She is, after all, the daughter of India."
Although Geeta’s story did have its emotional moments, the fact that she could not be reunited with her family proved to be a letdown. Swaraj did her bit by enveloping Geeta in a hug for the photographs, which was followed by another photo-op in the evening when the young woman met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Proving secular credentials
Despite the disappointment, the BJP is going all out to project Geeta’s return as yet another success of this government’s diplomacy. However, this has also posed a fresh challenge to the ruling alliance as it will now be under pressure to prove its secular credentials.
Having acted so swiftly to secure Geeta’s return, the government will be under scrutiny to see if it shows the same urgency in ensuring the return of young Salman from Aligarh whose mother left her two-year-old son with his grandparents in Karachi in 1994 but was unable to bring him back. Salman now wants to return to his family in India.
Swaraj told mediapersons that the government is pursuing this case. It is now to be seen if Salman will succeed in getting his Bajrangi Bhaijan moment.
On Monday, soon after her arrival in Delhi, deaf-mute Geeta refused to recognise the Mahato family from Bihar, which had claimed that she was their long-lost daughter Heera. Janardhan Mahato had claimed that they lost their eldest child, Geeta (Heera), years ago at a mela in Jalandhar, that she was married and had a son. The young woman denied being married or having a child.
This wasn’t the Bajrangi Bhaijan-like script that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance had prepared.
The government was hoping that Geeta’s return and reunion with the Mahato family, two days before the third phase of the crucial Bihar assembly election, would bring it some credit. It was optimistic particularly since Geeta, while in Karachi, had identified the Mahato couple as her parents from among the many photographs she was shown.
'Daughter of India'
At a special press briefing on Monday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj narrated the story of Geeta’s return and emphasised how she had personally pursued this matter with the Pakistan government. On the subject of Geeta’s family, Swaraj said doctors have taken blood samples of the Mahato couple and the young woman and will conduct DNA tests to determine whether she is their daughter. Till then, Geeta will be housed in an institution in Indore.
“In order to remove all doubts that may arise due to the long time that has passed, we have decided to go for a DNA test. But whether we find Geeta’s parents or not, we will take care of her,” Swaraj told mediapersons, while Geeta seated next her could not stop smiling. "She is, after all, the daughter of India."
Although Geeta’s story did have its emotional moments, the fact that she could not be reunited with her family proved to be a letdown. Swaraj did her bit by enveloping Geeta in a hug for the photographs, which was followed by another photo-op in the evening when the young woman met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Proving secular credentials
Despite the disappointment, the BJP is going all out to project Geeta’s return as yet another success of this government’s diplomacy. However, this has also posed a fresh challenge to the ruling alliance as it will now be under pressure to prove its secular credentials.
Having acted so swiftly to secure Geeta’s return, the government will be under scrutiny to see if it shows the same urgency in ensuring the return of young Salman from Aligarh whose mother left her two-year-old son with his grandparents in Karachi in 1994 but was unable to bring him back. Salman now wants to return to his family in India.
Swaraj told mediapersons that the government is pursuing this case. It is now to be seen if Salman will succeed in getting his Bajrangi Bhaijan moment.
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