Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin intensified his criticism of the Union government’s proposed delimitation exercise, calling it a "historic injustice" against southern states and calling for black flag protests across the state on Thursday.
He questioned whether the southern states were being "punished for contributing to India’s progress" and warned that the move had triggered widespread anger across the region.
Stalin also held an emergency meeting of DMK MPs on Wednesday to devise a strategy to reach out to MPs across states to counter the proposed amendment, which he termed as "grave danger."
In a post on X, the DMK chief said, "the sword that hung over our heads has now descended upon us... This is not about parties or individuals. It is about protecting the rights of our people. I appeal to all parties and MPs across India to unite to safeguard our democracy."
Notably, the Union government proposed increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850 following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census. The move is linked to the implementation of one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
In another post on X, Stalin questioned whether the exercise was a "punishment for contributing to India’s progress", asking, "Is this how Tamil Nadu and the southern states are repaid?"
"The Delimitation amendment the Union BJP government plans to bring in Parliament tomorrow is a massive historic injustice against Tamil Nadu and the southern states. Every South Indian south of the Vindhyas is seething with anger," Stalin wrote.
"The BJP is playing with fire. Across Tamil Nadu, black flags will rise from homes and public spaces tomorrow in protest against delimitation... If the Union government refuses to respect Tamil Nadu’s voice and step back, you will face the consequences. The price you will pay will be heavy. As President of the DMK, and above all as a self respecting Tamil, this is my stern warning," he added.
This comes a day after Stalin's warning that Tamil Nadu would launch a large-scale protest if the exercise harms the state’s interests or disproportionately affects southern states. 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" Stalin added.
"You will witness a Tamil Nadu that you have not seen before. India will once again witness the spirit of the DMK of the 1950s and 1960s. Do not mistake this for a threat. This is a warning. Even if you choose to interpret it as a threat, it does not concern us. Yes, this is a warning issued from Tamil Nadu," the CM said.
