CMs Stalin, Revanth Reddy sharpen attack against Centre over delimitation, warn of agitations

Chennai/Hyderabad: Two prominent non-BJP chief ministers from the south, M K Stalin and A Revanthy Reddy on Tuesday sharpened their attack against the Centre over delimitation, with the Tamil Nadu CM warning of "massive agitation" if the state was harmed and his Telangana counterpart flagging "injustice."

The sharp remarks from Stalin and Reddy came two days ahead of a special three-day sitting of the Parliament, during which amendments to the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', more commonly known as the Women Reservation Act, will be brought for its implementation in 2029.

In a video message, Stalin warned of massive agitations bringing Tamil Nadu to a standstill and "protests with full force," if anything was done harming the state or if the political power of northern states was disproportionately increased in delimitation.

Reiterating his allegation that secrecy shrouds the proposed delimitation process, he said that without consulting not just the DMK but any political party or any state, the BJP-led Centre was attempting to proceed unilaterally.

"We do not even know how this delimitation exercise is going to be carried out. No explanation has been provided so far regarding the proposed Constitutional amendment," the ruling DMK president added.

When such secrecy surrounds this process, it only strengthens the suspicion that a grave danger lies beneath. The people of the southern states are gripped with deep concern, he said.

Referring to the special session of Parliament on April 16, Stalin said it has being "forcibly convened" in the midst of elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.

"In this session, the union government intends to bulldoze through a Constitutional amendment on delimitation," he alleged, apparently claiming that the Centre intends forcing its decision on southern states including Tamil Nadu.

This hurried attempt to push through delimitation is a blatant assault on democracy by the BJP government. More than that, it is a direct assault on the rights of states.

"If anything is done that harms Tamil Nadu, or that disproportionately enhances the political power of northern states, we in Tamil Nadu will not remain silent."

"Tamil Nadu will register its protest with full force. Every family will take to the streets. Under my leadership as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, we will organise a massive agitation," he said in the video.

The DMK chief said it must not be assumed that, since this was an election period and "attention is elsewhere, you can quietly carry out delimitation in Delhi. Do not even entertain that thought," he told the Centre.

The CM said: "If you imagine that you can wrong Tamil Nadu and move on as usual, you are mistaken. On the birth anniversary of the Father of the Constitution, Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar, I say this with utmost solemnity. "

"If Tamil Nadu is affected, we will make the entire nation take notice. Prime Minister, I repeat, this is the final warning issued to you from Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu will fight; Tamil Nadu will win."

In the matter of delimitation from the very beginning, the DMK has created awareness among the people.

In Hyderabad, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy stepped up his attack on the NDA government at the Centre over delimitation, alleging that women, SCs and STs in southern states would face "injustice" if there is no adequate increase in the number of seats.

Addressing a gathering after paying tributes at the statue of B R Ambedkar on the occasion of his birth anniversary, Reddy said he had raised the delimitation issue as PM Modi was allegedly seeking to increase the number of seats in Uttar Pradesh or Gujarat at the cost of southern states.

He said he did not deny that the representation of women, SCs and STs in northern states would benefit if seats were increased on a pro rata basis.

He said Lok Sabha seats in Kerala would go up to 30 from 20 and from 80 to 120 in Uttar Pradesh if the total number is increased by 50 per cent on a pro rata basis.

"If there is an increase of 30 seats in a northern state, reservation for Dalits and STs there may increase. I do not deny that. But will Dalits, STs and women in southern states not lose if the seats decrease," he asked.

He favoured taking up a struggle to increase the number of constituencies in Telangana and other states.

Stating that the Congress does not have any objection to the Bill proposed to be introduced in Parliament to provide reservation for women, Reddy said his government would be ready to pass legislation on women’s quota in the Assembly.

Warning that delimitation based on a pro rata formula would cause "injustice" to southern states, Reddy had on Monday called for a consensus-building process through wider consultations with political parties and others.

He had urged the Prime Minister to consider a "hybrid" model of delimitation in which 50 per cent of seats would be increased on a pro rata basis and the remaining 50 per cent based on GSDP.