South African woman waiting to adopt from Preetmandir asks activist to drop her demand for inquiry

The president of an NGO called Sakhee on Wednesday allegedly received a threat call from a South African woman waiting to adopt a baby from city-based Preetmandir. The caller asked the social activist, Anjali Pawar, to discontinue her efforts to ensure an investigation into whether the children waiting for adoption at Preetmandir were indeed destitute.

Pawar said the woman who called from South Africa introduced herself as Linda Ganess and repeatedly made abusive remarks over the phone. The woman was upset over the fact that Pawar had demanded an inquiry into the destitute status of each and every one of the 17 children waiting for adoption at Preetmandir, which has been under a cloud for some months over its adoption system.

Saying the children at Preetmandir were suffering because of the delay in adoption, Ganess allegedly demanded the activist withdraw the objection she had filed with organisations and apex bodies working in the field of adoption.

The Bombay High Court had directed the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) to consider 18 cases of international adoption recommended by Preetmandir.

Pawar said this had happened after her organisation had filed an objection requesting CARA, Indian Council For Social Welfare (ICSW) and the Secretary of State Women and Child Development that each case of prospective

adoption be investigated properly by the CBI or an independent body at the ground level before giving a final nod for adoption.

"I am not against adoption and I have sympathy for all the adoptive parents. But it is essential to know that the children waiting for the adoption are indeed destitute," said Pawar. "So I have demanded that each case should be investigated properly."

Senior Police Inspector Bajirao Bhosale said, "We have received an application from Pawar and we have accepted it. We are looking into the matter."