New Delhi : After an unprecedented wait of more than 14 months, the Anglo-Indian community got a representative in the 16th Lok Sabha on Wednesday when a former Professor from Kerala, Richard Hay, took oath on Wednesday morning.
The second member nominated from the community, actor George Baker from West Bengal, is yet to take oath, reported Hindu.
The two nominations were finalised late last month after the All-India Anglo-Indian Association and the Federation of Anglo-Indian Associations in India made several representations about the “disturbing’’ delay in doing so in accordance with Article 331 of the Constitution.
Community leaders maintained that in all previous Lok Sabhas, even when the NDA was in power previously, the nominations were made soon after a new government was voted in. In its reminders to the Prime Minister, the community had expressed concern at the delay on two counts. First, the four-lakh-strong Anglo-Indian community had been unrepresented for four sessions, including the Budget Session. And, second, the community lost out an entire year’s allocation of MP’s Local Area Development Scheme. The federation, in one representation, said the delay had “forced’’ the community to believe that “this is yet another cruelty shown by the NDA govt. towards a minority community.”
Since the association has long been identified with the Congress, it had given a written assurance that if one of its nominees was selected, the person would vote for the government in a no-confidence motion. In the case of Mr. Baker, he is with the BJP and was a party candidate for the LS polls from Bengal.