Speakers at the South India Baptists Association’s national meeting in
Vizianagaram on Tuesday urged all political parties to give more seats to leaders
from the Christian community. They said that in many States, Christian leaders
have almost no representation in politics, which is a serious concern.
They also pointed out that the situation became worse after the 104th Amendment to
the Indian Constitution in 2019. This amendment removed the special nominations
that Anglo-Indians used to get—two reserved seats in Parliament and one in each
State Assembly. Because of this, the community now has even fewer opportunities
to be represented.
The speakers stressed that Christian leaders play an important role in society
and should be given fair chances in politics. They called on political parties
to recognise the contributions of the community and ensure better inclusion in
future elections.