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A story right out of a Bollywood script, that was the case when the Edhi Foundation discovered Geeta, a hearing and speech impaired Hindu girl. Geeta, a young girl who had crossed borders into Pakistan when she was eleven years old, was sent home at 23.
If you remember, it was the Edhi Foundation from Pakistan that had adopted Geeta when she had initially crossed into Pakistan. Twelve years of staying with Abdul Sattar Edhi’s brainchild organization, the NGO finally decided to work towards Geeta’s repatriation in a bid to find her family.
Geeta officially returned to India in October 2015. Two years later, she still hasn’t found her family. Many imposters have tried to claim Geeta by portraying themselves as her family in a bid to get fame and monetary aid from the Indian government.
India’s Foreign Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj was the one who took a keen interest in helping Geeta find her family, comparing it to the then latest blockbuster Salman Khan’s Bhajrangi Bhaijan. The Minister has now announced a reward of Rs. 100,000 for whoever who helps locate Geeta’s family in India.
#WATCH EAM Sushma Swaraj appeals people to help Geeta (Indian girl brought back from Pakistan in 2015 ) in finding her parents. pic.twitter.com/aQpg3CSL5Y
— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2017
Sushma told the people of India that Geeta was impatient to meet her parents and family. Geeta’s tale goes back to 2002 when she was recovered by Pakistan Rangers’ officials who found her near the border. She was handed over to the Edhi Foundation in Lahore. After being shifted to Karachi, Geeta remained under the supervision of Abdul Sattar Edhi Sahab himself.
When Geeta was being sent back to India in 2015, one Janardhan Mohato had recognized himself as Geeta’s father. However, upon arrival, Geeta denounced him, claiming that he wasn’t her father and neither was it her family.
Geeta still waits for her fairytale ending, one like Munni from Bhajrangi Bhaijan. All we can do is hope and pray that the speech and hearing impaired girl finds her family sooner, rather than later.
