'Have babies immediately': Stalin's advice to Tamil Nadu couples
What's the story
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has asked newlywed couples in the state to "have babies immediately." He voiced his concerns over the central government's proposed delimitation plans, which he thinks could adversely affect Tamil Nadu's representation in the Lok Sabha. The chief minister has called for an all-party meeting on March 5 to discuss the matter with the Election Commission for deliberations.
Delimitation impact
Stalin warns of reduced parliamentary representation
Stalin called the proposed delimitation a "sword dangling over Tamil Nadu's head." He feared that southern states, which have successfully implemented family planning, may lose representation in Parliament if delimitation is done on the basis of population census figures. "If delimitation is implemented based on population census, Tamil Nadu will lose eight MPs," he warned. "Earlier we used to say, take your time and have a baby. But now the situation has changed," he said.
Centre's response
BJP assures protection of Tamil Nadu's interests
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has countered Stalin's fears by assuring that the Centre will safeguard Tamil Nadu's interests. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently assured residents there would be no reduction in Lok Sabha seats for the state. BJP spokesperson CR Keshavan slammed Stalin's remarks, terming it a "desperate and dishonest diversionary drama." Keshavan also asked if DMK would question Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's stand on population rights.
Policy criticism
Stalin criticizes Centre's National Education Policy
Apart from delimitation, Stalin also slammed the Centre for pushing a National Education Policy that allegedly forces Hindi on states. He urged opposition parties not to boycott the upcoming meeting, stressing that this issue concerns all of Tamil Nadu, not just the DMK. Bharat Rashtra Samiti leader KT Rama Rao backed Stalin's concerns and said delimitation should consider each state's GDP contribution, not population size.
Policy rethink
Southern states reconsider population control measures
He stated that 40 political parties registered with the Election Commission will participate in the conference to examine the ramifications of constituency delimitation. "A majority of them have said yes, a few are skipping it. But they should understand that this is not a problem of DMK, it is a problem for the entire state," Stalin said. States like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are also rethinking laws incentivizing population control measures over similar fears of losing representation.