India takes up cause of British couple's surrogate baby facing orphanage
Source: Xinhua   2016-09-14 15:48:11

NEW DELHI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- India has taken up the cause of a British couple whose surrogate daughter was born in this country but now they may have to leave her in an orphanage in Mumbai as they haven't managed to get a UK passport for her.

Chris and Michele Newman, currently in India on a medical visa, are among the last few couples to have a surrogate baby in India, before the government banned commercial surrogacy last month.

But they have been told by Indian authorities that they have to get their baby's travel documents ready by Oct. 7, if they want to travel back to Britain. However, the British Consulate in Mumbai has told them that getting a passport for their three-month-old daughter may not be possible.

Now, in a series of tweets, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has questioned the British government and also took a jibe at those who have criticized the Indian government's move of banning commericial surrogacy.

"Should orphanage be the destiny of a surrogate baby? Commercial surrogacy is banned in Britain. Will British Government give a British passport to this surrogate Baby? Will the advocates of commercial surrogacy suggest a solution and help this Baby?" she tweeted Tuesday night.

The British couple from Surrey had also written a petition on change.org, an online platform, that "We can't believe that we could be forced to do the unthinkable and leave our baby in India!"

Editor: Hou Qiang
Related News
Xinhuanet

India takes up cause of British couple's surrogate baby facing orphanage

Source: Xinhua 2016-09-14 15:48:11
[Editor: huaxia]

NEW DELHI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- India has taken up the cause of a British couple whose surrogate daughter was born in this country but now they may have to leave her in an orphanage in Mumbai as they haven't managed to get a UK passport for her.

Chris and Michele Newman, currently in India on a medical visa, are among the last few couples to have a surrogate baby in India, before the government banned commercial surrogacy last month.

But they have been told by Indian authorities that they have to get their baby's travel documents ready by Oct. 7, if they want to travel back to Britain. However, the British Consulate in Mumbai has told them that getting a passport for their three-month-old daughter may not be possible.

Now, in a series of tweets, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has questioned the British government and also took a jibe at those who have criticized the Indian government's move of banning commericial surrogacy.

"Should orphanage be the destiny of a surrogate baby? Commercial surrogacy is banned in Britain. Will British Government give a British passport to this surrogate Baby? Will the advocates of commercial surrogacy suggest a solution and help this Baby?" she tweeted Tuesday night.

The British couple from Surrey had also written a petition on change.org, an online platform, that "We can't believe that we could be forced to do the unthinkable and leave our baby in India!"

[Editor: huaxia]
010020070750000000000000011100001356873731