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Sushma’s quick response may be ‘passport’ for jailed Uzbek woman’s baby

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Special Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Bhopal: Swift response of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to a Twitter request by Bhopal-based child rights proponent may open the doors for providing passport to the baby daughter of an Uzbekistan woman who is jailed here. The baby was born in jail.

Since the baby was born in India and the mother is to be deported to Uzbekistan after she completes her jail term for illegal entry into India, the baby would require an Indian passport to accompany her mother back.

Former member of the state commission for protection of children’s rights (SCPCR) Vibhanshu Joshi tweeted on this issue on Friday morning and tagged Sushma Swaraj, requesting her for help.

“The minister responded in less than four minutes, tagging DM Mulay the additional secretary of ministry of external affairs (MEA) in-charge of passports. I am very hopeful that there would be positive action in this direction,” Joshi told NewsBits.in.

The ex-member had also attached the copy of a newspaper report on the issue with his tweet. 

Jurayaba Barno, 35, of Uzbekistan who was arrested by Bhopal police in December 2015 was charged under Foreigners Act for illegal entry into the country and was sentenced to 10 months in prison on Thursday (September 1).

As Jurayaba has already spent eight months in prison she would complete her sentence in two months after which she would be deported back to her country.

However, as her baby daughter has been born in Bhopal jail, the infant would require an Indian passport to accompany her mother back.

“And this has to be done in a deadline of two months. For us, the welfare of the child is the priority and therefore I took up the matter with the minister. I am happy she responded so positively,” Joshi said.

The arrest and subsequent trial of Jurayaba in Bhopal has raised several questions of rights violation.

The woman had herself approached the police claiming she was drugged and smuggled into India from Nepal and subsequently to Bhopal.

But she was charged with illegal entry while the man accompanying her was allowed to turn approver. She did not know English or Hindi and was yet not provided Uzbek translator and even the lawyer was provided very late. Also her family was not informed of her arrest.