Delimitation will make us second-class citizens, warns CM Stalin

CHENNAI/COIMBATORE: Stepping up the attack on the Centre-ruling BJP over the proposed delimitation exercise, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin warned on Wednesday that it would significantly weaken Tamil Nadu’s voice at the national level and appealed people to rise above political difference to stage a united, cross-party protest.

Stalin exhorted the people and party cadre to mark their opposition through black flags and symbolic kolams on Thursday morning, turning their homes and streets into spaces of protest.

Emphasising that the issue transcends political affiliations, he said, "Let us raise our voice cutting across party lines. If we fail to speak out now, our voice may lose its value."

Addressing a campaign rally in Dharmapuri earlier in the day, Stalin said the restructuring of parliamentary constituencies based on population would be disproportionately disadvantageous states like Tamil Nadu that had successfully implemented population-control measures.

The situation was a grave danger, he said, urging people to recognise the long-term implications of delimitation on the State’s political influence.

Tamil Nadu and other southern states had effectively controlled population growth through family planning initiatives at a time when the country faced widespread poverty and hunger after independence. “But now, delimitation is being pursued purely on the basis of population. This means states that failed to control population growth stand to gain more representation,” he said.

Stalin called for public opposition to the move and said, “If we do not raise our voice now, we may never be heard again. Our fight for rights must continue until the union government responds.”

Taking a sharp swipe at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Stalin accused him of compromising the State’s interests.

“He seems to take pride in aligning with the BJP at the cost of Tamil Nadu’s rights,” Stalin said, alleging that Palaniswami was betraying Tamil Nadu. Stalin also criticised Palaniswami for his failure to raise voice on key issues such as the three-language policy, the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, and now delimitation.

He went further to suggest that the AIADMK should consider merging with the BJP if it continued on the same path. Describing the NDA as an alliance of betrayers, Stalin alleged that PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss had joined the alliance out of fear of corruption cases.