Protecting the identity and interest of their dwindling community is the first priority of the members of the Anglo-Indians Associations across the country and Vijayawada is no exception.
The elders lament how the dwindling community is fast losing its culture and language. Hit by a serious identity crisis, the Anglo-Indians, whose number has dipped as low as 200 families in the city, are contemplating ways to overcome the problem of their shrinking size.
Among other hassles, acquiring a community certificate is a cumbersome process that they have been complaining about for a long period. “We are all born Christians. The problem is that when an Anglo-Indian approached the department office for a caste certificate and mentioned Christianity as his/her religion, the software by default would take us to the caste page which has BC and various other sub-castes but no column for Anglo-Indians,” says Leonard Lambert, president of the Vijayawada chapter of All India Anglo-Indians’ Association.
He says slowly the officials are realising the problem and trying to address it.
Recognising the issue, the State government, in 2011, issued a GO stating that based on discussions with the community elders, a proforma application had been devised.
The applicant should secure certification of one of the authorised Anglo-Indian Community Associations, duly counter-signed by the nominated Anglo-Indian MLA in the Sate Assembly.
‘Complicated process’
For grant of certificate, the applicant should also submit documents of the four ‘specified Anglo-Indian Associations’, saying that either the applicant or his parent/grandparent is a member of the Anglo-Indian community. The four authorising associations are the Anglo-Indian Welfare Association, Secunderabad, Visakha Forum of Anglo-Indian Women, Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam, the National Federation of Anglo-Indian Association (now defunct) and the All-India Anglo-Indian Association.
Besides, an institutional certificate issued by one of the Christian denominations like the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM), Church of South India (CSI), Lutheran Church (ALC), Salvation Army, Methodist Church, Mennonite Brethren, Seventh Day Adventist or Baptist Church or a school record of the applicants or their parent/grandparent where their identity as an Anglo-Indian is mentioned or a copy of service register of the parent/grandparent is needed to be attested.
These documents are to be submitted to the local tahsildar (MRO) who in turn will issue the certificate after a field enquiry.
“The process is very complicated. I also have a problem with the rule that says that the applicant should belong to one of the Anglo-Indian Associations. I am no more associated with any of the Anglo-Indian Associations and I am on my own. What do I do if I want a community certificate,” says Carlyl Evans, former president of the now-defunct Vijayawada unit of the National Federation of Anglo-Indian Associations.
Not a problem: MLA
Philip Tocher, the current nominated MLA from the community in the State Assembly, however, does not see it as a problem. “All they have to do is take a letter from Mr. Lambert, get it signed by me and submit it to the MRO.” He also agrees that many MROs may not be aware of the process “but they get it when you explain it to them.”