Malkajgiri MP and TPCC working president A. Revanth Reddy has sought political representation for the third gender in Parliament and State Assemblies in the place of Anglo Indians who are very few in the country and are very much Indian now.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Reddy said as Parliament is going to pass the extension of reservation for Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes in the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies for another 10 years in the current winter session, it is important that the Article 334 (b) of the Constitution, which allows member of the Anglo Indian Community to be nominated to Parliament and State Assemblies, be done away with.
The same nomination can be provided to third gender community for their adequate political representation, he said. In past 70 years they have been ignored in the electoral system and it is necessary that they are brought through nomination or by reserving seats.
Mr. Reddy said at present only few thousands Anglo Indians are left in the country and the community is very much Indian now, and as generally the Anglo Indian community is well to do.
“As we are approaching the Platinum Jubilee of our Independence it is important that we give political representation to one of the most marginalised community of our country — The Third Gender,” he said.
The letter further said that India needs to become a torch-bearer of social justice and send the message to the world. “Our history has shown the direction to the world and so should our present,” he said.
“Reservation is an affirmative action to rectify our previous wrong doings, to bring the marginalised, downtrodden on par with society and political reservation be given to the Third Gender Community.” he said.
