New Delhi: Norwegian parents Anurup and Sagorika Bhattacharya have gathered large support from people across the globe. The Indian government and several social groups in Norway are advocating their cause – to bring their kids back to their ‘original home’.

The kids of Non-Resident Indian (NRI) couple Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya, Abhigyan aged three and one-year old Aishwarya; were sent to protective care by Barnevarne (the Norwegian Child Welfare Services) last year.

According to Norwegian media reports, the elder child Abhigyan was found to display ‘behavioural problems’ in the school. The authorities felt his mother must be either suffering from depression or must be tired and have little patience. Barnevarne then decided to monitor the actual situation and then take further decisions on the issue.

After visiting the Bhattacharyas’ house and monitoring the overall situation, the authorities concluded that the parents’ attitude showed ‘an emotional disconnect with their children. The kids were then sent to foster parental care in May 2011.

Anurup and Sagorika, however, claim that the authorities entered their house on the pretension that they wanted to help Sagorika with the upbringing of her kids. The parents have claimed that instead of providing any help, the authorities merely gathered information and later concluded that the children were taken good care of in a house where they slept in their parents’ bed and were fed by hands.

Talking to reporters, head of Stavanger's Child Welfare Services Gunnar Toresen denied that cultural differences played any role in finalising the decision of foster care for the kids. He, however, refused to comment on particular grounds on which the decision was made, citing ‘duty of confidentiality’.