Meri madam mahaan: Teary-eyed Hamid Ansari, mother meet Sushma Swaraj
The scenes in Delhi were emotional on Wednesday after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Hamid Ansari and his mother. Ansari, who returned to India on Tuesday after being lodged in a Pakistan jail for six years, thanked Swaraj. His sobbing mother Fauzia told Swaraj his return could have been impossible without her. Ansari too couldn't stop his tears. Meanwhile, Swaraj praised Ansari's determination.
This video will get you emotional
He went there for love, was imprisoned instead
In 2012, Ansari was arrested by Pakistani authorities for allegedly illegally entering Northwest area of the country. An engineer from Mumbai he went there to meet a woman he befriended and fell in love with, online. He was arrested on charges of espionage and, after three years in detention, was handed a three-year-long prison term in 2015 for possessing a fake Pakistani identity card.
Pakistan denied 96 requests by India for consular access
Given Pakistan's conviction, Indian authorities had a tough time trying to get Ansari back, despite officials relentlessly pursuing his release. However, an adamant Pakistan had denied 96 requests by India for consular access to Ansari. Over the past six years, the only status update given on Ansari was a "very brief" telephone conversation that Pakistan allowed between the jailed engineer and his mother.
Mera bharat mahaan, meri madam mahaan: Fauzia tells Swaraj
On December 11, India told Pakistan, in very strong words, that Ansari should be released when his sentence ends. As a result of years of relentless work, Ansari returned home after crossing the Attari-Wagah border. On meeting Swaraj, Fauzia said, "Mera Bharat mahaan, meri madam mahaan, sab madam ne hi kiya hai (My India is great, my madam is great. You did everything)"
For Ansari's family, his return is just like a festival
As seen in the video, Swaraj said that Ansari also deserves credit for staying strong during the harrowing years. After returning to his motherland, Ansari had said it was an emotional moment. "For us, it is like Hamid has taken a new birth. We did not celebrate any festival since my son went missing, but this is the day of celebration," his father said.
