Mother calls for abducted girl’s return as Dutch Royals meet Indian president
With a sign calling for attention for her abducted daughter Insiya, Nadia Rashid stood on Dam Square in Amsterdam on Tuesday, where King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima received the Indian President and his wife on their state visit to the Netherlands.
Insiya was abducted from her grandmother's Amsterdam apartment at age 2 in September 2016 and smuggled to India. Her father, Shehzad Hemani, orchestrated the abduction. Despite multiple court rulings, appeals by the Dutch government, and convictions, the now 8-year-old girl is still in India. "It is an ultimate attempt to get Insiya back," her desperate mother said to De Telegraaf.
The Dutch King and Queen had a short conversation with Nadia when they arrived at Dam Square. They discussed the letter Nadia sent to Queen Maxima last week. Maxima told Nadia that her letter made a deep impression on her, according to De Telegraaf. The Royals said they would bring the matter up with the Indian President.
"They have read my letter and are going to discuss it today. They are very committed to my cause. They were emotional and aware of how important it is that Insiya comes back to the Netherlands," Nadia said to ANP.
Rashid held her protest sign on Dam Square all of Tuesday morning, hoping to attract the attention of President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife, Samira. Willem-Alexander and Maxima welcomed the Indian couple in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. After the official reception by the Royals on Tuesday, they will lay a wreath at the National Monument on Dam Square, followed by a state banquet in the Royal Palace.
President Kovind and his wife started a three-day visit to the Netherlands on Monday to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. On Monday, the Kovinds met Minister Wopke Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands' famous flower park Keukenhof. On Wednesday, the Indian President will meet with the presidents of the Eerste Kamer and Tweede Kamer, the Dutch Senate and the lower house of parliament. He'll also meet with Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
