By IANS
Lucknow : The Congress party Wednesday sought a debate in the Uttar Pradesh assembly about the absence of a representative of the Anglo-Indian community in the house.
The issue was raised through a point of propriety by Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, who expressed deep concern about what he termed as the Mayawati government’s apathy towards the community.
“The provision for nomination of a representative of the Anglo-Indian community as a member of the state assembly was not just a precedent but a constitutional requirement but the present government had not cared to nominate anyone since the last incumbent Peter Fanthome’s term expired several months ago,” Tiwari told the house.
“It has been ten months since the Mayawati government assumed power but the nomination was still awaited,” he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Om Prakash Singh supported the Congress on the issue, saying: “The issue deserves serious concern”.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Laljee Verma opposed the motion on the plea that the government was equally concerned about the issue.
Speaker Sukhdeo Rajhbhar dismissed the motion.