Geeta calls Swaraj 'guardian'

Geeta, the 27-year-old deaf and mute woman, who was rescued from Pakistan and brought back to India after being stranded there for 15 years, never felt orphaned till Sushma Swaraj was alive.

Although the search for Geeta’s biological parents has remained elusive, she was happy to have had Sushma as a caring mother.

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On Wednesday, she expressed her deep anguish through sign language over the loss of her ‘motherly figure’, who was instrumental in her return to India in 2015.

In November last year, Sushma described Geeta as "Hindustan ki Beti" (daughter of India) and said "even if she does not meet her family, she will never be sent back to Pakistan. The Indian government will foster her."

Geeta has been staying and studying at an institution run by a non-profit at Indore under the supervision of Madhya Pradesh’s social justice department.

Sandeep Pandit, the warden of the NGO's hostel, said, Geeta has been very sad and in tears since she learnt about the demise of Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday morning.

Living in a hostel in Indore, Geeta was in constant touch with the former external affairs minister. They met eight times in the last four years and would talk to each other with Pandit being the interpreter, over the phone almost every month. Last time they talked was in July.

According to the warden, Geeta said, "she felt as if she had lost a guardian".

Geeta was about 11 years of age when she inadvertently crossed the border into Pakistan in 2003. She was spotted by the Pakistan Rangers in Lahore and was handed over to Edhi. Bilquis Edhi, who runs the Edhi Foundation, named her Geeta.

Following her return, more than 10 families from across India claimed Geeta was their missing daughter.

However, none of the claims could be verified in the government's investigations and a search for her family was still on.

Then external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj even tried to play a matchmaker for Geeta and sought marriage proposals for her.

Pandit said Sushma had got Geeta a laptop through Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, who is from Madhya Pradesh. Gehlot was tasked with Geeta’s care by Sushma as her health deteriorated last year.