Anglo-Indian community writes to PM over delay in Lok Sabha

The Anglo-Indian community members have shot off another letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning the "inordinate delay" in nominating two of their representatives to the Lok Sabha formed a year ago.
"It is more than one year now and the Anglo-Indian members to Lok Sabha have not been nominated. ...No explanation has been given for this inordinate delay. This is an injustice perpetrated on a weak minority," the Federation of Anglo-Indian Associations in India stated in its letter.
Association President Charles Dias, former MP, said even after 60 years, the social, economical and educational situation of Anglo-Indians have not been improved and they face an identity crisis.

"Their representation in Lok Sabha and certain legislative Assemblies through nominations as per Article 331 and 333 provided them some relief. It is this opportunity that is now being denied to them," he said, urging the NDA government to nominate their members to Lok Sabha without further delay.
Referring to the assurance given by the NDA leadership to minorities and the statement of Home Minister Rajnath Singh that he "will go to any extent to protect minorities", Dias said the delay in nominating members of a weak minority to the Lower House virtually goes against the assurance given by the government.

He noted that the Anglo-Indian community was given this Constitutional provision by the "generous framers of our sacred Constitution, considering the economical backwardness of a sizable portion of the community, peculiar situation of social background and scattered nature of the community."
"Their contribution in the formation of Indian Railways and telegraph department and other fields of education and nursing is unparallelled compared to their numerical strength," he said.
"I request you once again to effect the nomination of Anglo-Indian members to Lok Sabha and do justice to the community," said Dias, who has written to the Prime Minister on the issue earlier as well.