Two more families claim to be Geeta's parents: Swaraj

November 23, 2015 20:35

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said that two more families have claimed Geeta, a hearing and speech impaired girl who returned from Pakistan last month, to be their daughter but she has refused to identify one of them on the basis of their photographs.

Swaraj also said that efforts will be intensified to trace Geeta's real parents, which will include exhibiting her photographs in her childhood hair style. Swaraj met Geeta who has been staying with an organisation working for the cause of deaf and mute children here since her return from Pakistan.

"We are trying our best to locate parents of Geeta. Two families, including one from Bihar, have claimed that they are her family members," Swaraj told reporters.

The minister said Geeta refused to recognise the photograph of a Muslim family, but sought more time to go through another photograph. Swaraj said that at least four families from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab had also claimed Geeta to be their daughter, but their claims could not be proved. Among the four families was Bihar's Janardhan Mehto whose DNA didn't match with Geeta.

"However, my efforts will continue till I find her real parents. I am hopeful and confident on the issue," the minister said. Swaraj also sought to fend off criticism of government by some quarters over keeping Geeta in the city-based organisation for the children with hearing and speech impairments.

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