NEW DELHI: Over a decade after inadvertently crossing into Pakistan, Geeta, a deaf and mute girl, yesterday returned here to an emotional welcome but failed to recognise a family which she had initially identified from photographs even as India "whole-heartedly" thanked Pakistani government for allowing her homecoming.
Geeta, who was received by senior officials from External Affairs Ministry and Pakistan High Commission here on her arrival from Karachi, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, who played a key role in bringing her back.
"Welcome back home, Geeta. It is truly wonderful to have you back home... All of India will take care of you," Modi said and assured that every effort would be made to trace her family.
Touched by the rousing welcome, an emotional Geeta, through an interpreter, said, "I am very happy to be in India. My heart is filled with happiness. I am touched the way I am being welcomed. In Pakistan, I used to often feel sad."
Modi thanked the Edhi family for taking care of Geeta for over a decade and announced Rs one crore assistance for their foundation. He described the family as "apostles of kindness and compassion".
Earlier, addressing a press conference with Geeta, Swaraj called it a "happy day" as the "innocent daughter came back home". She said Geeta refused to recognise the Mahato couple from Bihar which she had identified from photographs and added that she will be kept in an institution in Indore till her "real family" was found.
Dressed in a red and white salwar kameez, Geeta, who had accidentally strayed into Pakistan nearly 15 years ago, said her priority is to stand on her feet.
Though Mahato family claimed she was married and has a child, Geeta vehemently denied it.
Swaraj said Geeta's DNA sample is being examined and if it does not match with the samples of the Mahato couple, then government will start afresh the process to find her parents.
"If the DNA samples match, then it will be a complex situation. We will ask Geeta to recollect things and go down the memory lane. We will make her sit again with them (Mahatos) so that she recollects her memory," the minister said, adding Geeta did not show any excitement when she saw the Mahato couple.