Stalin says Ministry of Home Affairs' remarks on delimitation are ‘vague'
Seeing a 'sinister design' by the Narendra Modi-led government in Census 2027 and the subsequent delimitation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday said the remarks of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs over the proposed delimitation exercise were 'vague' and further called for a 'clear Parliamentary commitment and a suitable Constitutional amendment.' Mr. Stalin also endorsed the edit published in The Hindu — 'Injustice in the delay - The announcement of the Census is welcome, but the delay is unjust'.
On Thursday, a social media post of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Union Minister Amit Shah had clarified on many occasions that in the delimitation exercise, concerns of southern States would be taken care of and discussed with all concerned at an appropriate time.
'The MHA claims that the concerns of affected States will be addressed. But these are vague remarks. What is needed is a clear Parliamentary commitment and a suitable Constitutional amendment,' Mr. Stalin said in a social media post.
Recalling the abrogation of Article 370, Mr. Stalin said: 'The Union government spoke of restoring Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Elections were held. Assurances were given in the Supreme Court. Yet, Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union territory. This is the track record of the BJP we are dealing with.' If the Union government proceeded with delimitation based on the Census 2027, the democratic power of peninsular India would be 'reduced to irrelevance,' Mr. Stalin contended.
Taking a swipe at his party's rival, AIADMK, over their electoral alliance with the BJP, Mr. Stalin, also the DMK president, said: 'Even if betrayers like the ADMK [AIADMK] choose to kneel before the BJP for their political survival, the people of Tamil Nadu, led by the DMK, will never allow our State to be punished for its progress. Tamil Nadu will fight! Tamil Nadu will win!'
Claiming that the delay in the Census was 'no accident', Mr. Stalin further said that the delimitation plan was 'no coincidence' and the danger that he warned of was 'at our doorstep.'
There was a 'sinister design' in how the BJP-led Union government was implementing the national Census and the subsequent delimitation, Mr. Stalin said: 'Developed States, especially in the non-Hindi speaking south, which followed population control norms, will now be punished. Meanwhile, States that disregarded population control for decades are set to gain more seats in Parliament. This unfair shift skews the federal balance and rewards irresponsibility.'
He also recalled his warning about this 'design' and referred to the contention of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P. Chidambaram on 'how this sleight of hand is unfolding.'
Mr. Stalin emphasised: 'The time has come not only to be vigilant but also to craft counter-strategies to safeguard the South's voice.'
The Census 2027 would form the basis for the next delimitation, replacing the 1971 data, he said, and further asserted that this gave the Union BJP-led government the means to 'restructure Parliamentary representation to its advantage, at the cost of the southern States.'
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