Hon.
Chairperson, while introducing this Bill, the hon. Minister has mentioned that
there are only 296 Anglo-Indians across the country. He is misleading the
House. That is my point because in my Parliamentary Constituency alone, there
are more than 20,000 Anglo-Indian people. I studied in an Anglo-Indian school
till my 10th standard. We have got a higher secondary school just
five years back, which shows how educationally backward this community is. This
community is an ethnic minority, which has historically contributed a lot to
the growth of this country. For example, you can check from the records of the
Railway Ministry about the number of employees who worked in the initial
stages, right from pre-Independence times. Sir, the Portuguese came to Malabar in
1498 as a part of the spice trade in this country. The Dutch, French and
British140
followed, and they married Indian women. Their progenies later were categorized
as Anglo-Indians. When India
became independent, the community was160 not included in Article 366(2). They
contributed much in the field of education through hundreds of Anglo-Indian
schools all around the country. In nursing services, defence services, and in laying the
railway lines and telegraphic lines, the Anglo-Indians made immense sacrifices
and contributions. The Air Chief, the Naval Chief and several war heroes, who
secured gallantry awards, are sagas of sacrifice of the Anglo-Indian community.
The first Olympic medal winners and several distinguished police officers tell
the story of the integrity and patriotism of this community. In the Constituent
Assembly debates, we notice that every community in the country confined to
their own areas and formed language-based States and leaders of every organized
religion argued for the individual identity and existence.280 The Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes, who wanted guaranteed representation in the law-making
bodies in the country, were provided reserved constituencies. Anglo-Indians,
who were scatted all over the country in the operation of railway, had no
particular or area or the320
State to claim as their
own. In these circumstances, the generous framers of our sacred Constitution
provided representation for them in the Parliament and in the State
Legislatures under Article 331 and 333.
The reserved constituencies for the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were reserved for stipulated years. The
reserved seats in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies were provided for
stipulated terms for Anglo-Indians. As such, Article 334(a) and Article 334(b)
were extended up to 25th January, 2020 by the 95th
Constitutional Amendment. But now, the present Government has brought the 126th
Constitutional Amendment to extend only Article 334(a).420 The reason mentioned
by the hon. Minister for not extending Article 334(b) is that Anglo-Indians are
well-off, and they do not require reserved seats through nomination. This is
strange. In this Lok Sabha, there are around 543 elected Members. Is there any
one elected as Anglo-Indian Member in this august House? There is no
Anglo-Indian Member in this Lok480 Sabha. In Rajya Sabha, there is only one
Anglo-Indian Member. So, the reservation has to exist considering the social
fabric, the economic situation and the educational backwardness. I urge upon
the Government to continue the reservation. If the Anglo-Indian community is
not adequately represented in the House of the People, the President may
nominate more than two Anglo-Indians. The Anglo-Indians face several problems
including unemployment, financial and educational backwardness and cultural
erosion. Most of them are staying in rented houses. 560 All of this is
mentioned in the report of the Ministry of Minority Affairs prepared in 2013.
How can the Government deny, a weak and microscopic minority, a Constitutional
guarantee provided by the founding-fathers of our Constitution, without
studying the real population figures, and the social, educational and financial
situation? I urge the Government of India to appoint a Committee to study the
socio-economic situation of this community and also understand the educational
and employment status of this community. 640
The baseline of the Bill that the
Minister has introduced is that all the minorities in the country would be
protected. How can we deny them a right which is existing in the Parliament?
People from Anglo-Indian community cannot be elected to this House. So,
constitutionally, they have been given these rights considering their
historical contributions to this country. Article 336(2) of700 the Constitution
mentions about the ‘European descent’. It is also very clearly mentioned. Some
people are trying to mislead the House by saying that it means only British
descent but that is very unfortunate. The community cannot be elected through
an electoral process. So, I would like the Government to understand the
peculiar situation and continue the reservation for this community. You cannot
take away the Anglo-Indian representation in the Assemblies also without
considering the particular State. It is quite an unfortunate situation. There
are many hon. Members who would be speaking after me and they will definitely800
talk about the State-specific contribution of Anglo-Indian community.
Therefore, I urge upon the Government to appoint a Committee and study their
social, economic, educational and unemployment status in this country and
continue the reservation as in the case of Scheduled Castes and840
Scheduled Tribes.
I rise to support the historic 126th
Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2019 which aims at extending the reservation for
the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Article 334 of the Constitution
for the next 10 years. The reservation for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and in
the State Assemblies was to expire by January, 2020. This new Bill will extend
the reservation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for the next 10
years that is till January, 2030. Our Government, after coming to power, has
done a lot for the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. The Narendra Modi-led Government has shown its tireless commitment for
the welfare and upliftment960 of the SCs and STs. Today, we know where
the SCs and the tribal people stand and what their situation is. 980
Despite 70 years of independence, we have not been able to provide an equal or
a level-playing field for the SCs and STs. If we see the Human Development
Index of particularly those areas where the SCs and STs reside, it is much
lower than what it is in the general areas. Besides, one programme which has
recently been started by our Prime Minister is about the development of the
Aspirational Districts. Most of the districts in the Aspirational Districts are
tribal-dominated. From this, we can definitely make out that the tribal areas
and the areas dominated by Scheduled Caste people are the ones which are yet to
be developed. I come from a tribal area. Being a doctor, I would like to speak
about the health sector, particularly in the tribal areas. In most of the1120
tribal areas, we see a very strange picture. We will see most of the children
suffering from malnutrition, and girls and women suffering from anaemia.
Another important sector is
education. While talking about education, I would also like to highlight some
of the numbers, particularly about the literacy rate of our economy, right from
Independence to
this day. In 1961, the literacy rate of the general population was 28 per cent,
that of the Scheduled Castes was 10 per cent and that of the Scheduled Tribes
was 9 per cent. In 2011, if we see the literacy rate, it was 73 per cent for
the general population, 66 per cent for the SCs, and 59 per cent for the STs.
From these numbers, it is very clear that in terms of education, the SC and ST
communities are still way behind the general population. 1260 While talking about
education, I would also like to mention about the school drop-outs taking1280
place in the tribal areas. Our Government has now initiated a programme of
Eklavya Model Residential Schools for opening new English medium residential schools
for tribals in every block which has a population of at least 50 per cent
tribals or 20,000 tribals residing there. Now, because of this residential
school facility, a lot of tribal children, who used to go from their house to
the school and then after certain years used to drop out earlier, are now
staying in those English medium residential schools. They are getting quality
education. Today, we are trying to mould these children into students who can
clear examinations like IIT, NEET and UPSC. I can very proudly say that in one
of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools in1400 my constituency, one tribal boy has got
admission into the IIT in Assam.
Being a tribal, I am really proud that a tribal boy from my constituency could
qualify in the IIT examination also.1400 While talking about education, I would
also like to mention about the Skill Training Programme which is being
initiated by our Government, particularly for the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes. It is not only the skill training but after the skill
training, the boy or the girl who gets the skill training, is getting an
opportunity to become an entrepreneur as well.
There are programmes like MUDRA
loan; there are programmes like Start-Up India; there are programmes like
Stand-Up India where these boys and girls belonging to SC and ST categories are
getting an opportunity to become entrepreneurs as well and provide jobs to more
and more such boys and girls belonging to their communities. I would also like
to draw the attention of the House to the fact that there is a huge backlog of
vacancies of the SCs and STs in different sector in the country. I would like
to thank the Government that they have started carrying1600 out special drives
for filling in these vacancies. The Railway Ministry has started a recruitment
drive for the SCs, STs, women and the General category people. 1626
