Why opposition against imaginary delimitation: Edappadi K Palaniswami

CHENNAI: AIADMK legislative party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday accused the TVK-led government of bringing the resolution on delimitation for political reasons and to create a sensation, despite there being no indication of the Delimitation Bill being introduced in Parliament.

He said the number of Parliamentary constituencies should not be reduced and should remain in the present proportion of 7.18 per cent for Tamil Nadu, and urged the ruling benches to believe the assurances given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Palaniswami said the AIADMK had supported only one part of the resolution — the 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha seats.

Recalling Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance on the delimitation issue, Palaniswami said Tamil Nadu's proportionate representation in Parliament would be safeguarded. He said this assurance was also included in the AIADMK's election manifesto.

Replying to Palaniswami, Health and Family Welfare Minister KG Arunraj said the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had assured that Hindi would not be imposed, but people knew what was happening in the country.

"In this situation, when we could not fulfil Nehru's promise, we do not know how Amit Shah's promise can be implemented," Arunraj said.

Responding to Arunraj, Palaniswami said that Amit Shah was the Union Home Minister and that his words must be trusted.