Anglo Indians seek special category of reservation

The Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Minong Ering, who was in Chennai on Friday, received petitions from representatives of the Anglo Indian community, who requested that they be treated as a special category for reservation policies on employment and education. They are currently being clubbed under the Christian community but feel the benefits are not reaching them.

Mr. Ering was accompanied by Lok Sabha MP Charles Dias and the nodal officer for Anglo-Indians at the Office of the Ministry for Minority Affairs Lucas L.Kamsuan to study the socio-economic conditions of the Anglo Indian community, as a part of their nationwide fact-finding mission. They have already visited Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore, before their day-long trip to Chennai on Friday.

Speaking about his interactions with the community thus far, Mr. Ering told

The Hindu that large sections of the community were confined to living in poor socio-economic conditions. In their memorandum to the Minister, the Anglo-Indian Suburban Front asked for the Union Ministry to implead itself in a case pending with the Supreme Court over the issue of reservation of seats in professional courses.

Augustine Roy Rozario of the organisation said even Karnataka had offered reservations in their professional colleges.