Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin Threatens Centre With Massive Agitation if Southern States are Harmed by Delimitation

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the BJP-led Central government over the proposed delimitation exercise, calling it a direct assault on the rights of southern states and threatening to launch a massive agitation if Tamil Nadu and other southern states are adversely affected.

Stalin's warning comes as Parliament is set to meet on April 16, 17, and 18 in a special parliament session to discuss amendments to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 and a proposed Delimitation Bill to implement one-third reservation for women in Parliament.

In a video address, the Chief Minister said: "This video serves two purposes: to speak about the grave danger that has now reached the very doorstep of Tamil Nadu, and to issue a clear warning to the Union BJP government. In this session, the Union government intends to bulldoze through a Constitutional amendment on delimitation."

Stalin argued that Tamil Nadu and other southern states had dutifully followed population control and family planning measures as directed by the Centre, and were now being penalised for it. He said the state would not remain silent if its interests or those of southern states were disproportionately affected.

Invoking the DMK's founding defiance, he declared: "India will once again witness the spirit of the DMK of the 1950s and 1960s," adding that under his leadership as Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu would organise a massive agitation.

Stalin also warned the Centre against using the ongoing election season as cover, saying: "Do not assume that, since this is an election period and attention is elsewhere, you can quietly carry out delimitation in Delhi."

The Chief Minister also criticised the Centre for linking women's reservation with the delimitation process, welcoming the 33 per cent reservation proposal but arguing that it should be implemented based on existing electoral rolls rather than tied to a new delimitation exercise.

Stalin further condemned the move to push through far-reaching constitutional amendments without convening an all-party consultation, calling it "blatant assault on democracy," and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to the concerns raised by the people of the south.