India has expressed concern over delay in handing over of children by Norway to their Indian parents. Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Madhusudhan Ganapathi has been rushed to Norway to ensure that children are handed over to their parents without further delay.

According to External Affairs Ministry, Special envoy Madhusudhan Ganapathi has been rushed to Norway to meet the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store today to resolve the issue.

AIR correspondent reports that Norwegian authorities had accused the Indian couple Sagarika and Anurup Bhattacharya, living in Norway, of negligence towards their children. The local authorities had forcibly taken away the children in the month of May last year and put them in a foster care.

India has already stressed that the children are not orphans and belong to the State of India. Norwegian childcare authorities had recently agreed to hand over the custody of the children to their Kolkata-based uncle, who is currently in Oslo.

Meanwhile, children's grand parents are holding dharna in front of Norwegian ambassy in New Delhi to protest their custody. They are demanding that the children must be sent back to India by 8th of March before the expiry of the visa of the Indian couple.

CPM leader Brinda Karat and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj have also joined the grandparents in their protest.