Chennai:
“Have 16 youngsters” – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s eyebrow-raising ‘answer’ Monday to the chance the southern state shall be allotted fewer Lok Sabha seats – and subsequently be much less necessary to any political social gathering seeking to kind the union authorities – after the delimitation in 2026, i.e., redrawing of parliamentary constituencies, earlier than the 2029 election, primarily based on revised inhabitants ranges.
The DMK chief – presiding over the state-funded Hindu wedding ceremony of 31 {couples} – mentioned the custom in his state was for household elders to bless married {couples} with “16 sorts of wealth”; the benediction, translated from Tamil, reads “Purchase 16 sorts of wealth and lead a affluent life)”.
“That blessing doesn’t imply it is best to have 16 youngsters… however now a scenario has arisen the place individuals suppose they could should, actually, increase 16 youngsters and never a small and affluent household.”
As an apart (and in a remark seen as one other jab on the BJP that’s in energy on the centre), Mr Stalin known as on Tamil {couples} to provide their youngsters “stunning Tamil names”.
READ | “Imposing Hindi All over the place”: MK Stalin vs Governor In Anthem Row
The Chief Minister’s remark about Tamil names for Tamil youngsters comes amid one more state-centre flare-up on the language row; final week Mr Stalin lobbed robust questions at Governor RN Ravi, the centre’s rep within the state, for making an attempt to “impose Hindi all over the place”.
The Delimitation Row
Over the previous a number of months Tamil Nadu, and the opposite southern states, have expressed concern over a delimitation train that may see the variety of seats leap from 543 now to 753.
The most important improve shall be in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state; the variety of Lok Sabha seats will leap from 80 to 126 – a 57.5 per cent spike. Among the many southern states, solely Karnataka may see a measurable improve – from 28 seats to 36 – in illustration within the Decrease Home.
Tamil Nadu’s Lok Sabha share will probably solely inch up – from 39 to 41, a 5 per cent improve, and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana could also be given solely three additional seats every.
EDNBOX Explains | What India Will Look Like After 2026 Delimitation
And Kerala – the state that has greatest managed inhabitants development, a crucial issue because the nation and world battles local weather change, unemployment, and useful resource shortage – may lose one in all its 20 seats.
The attainable revised Lok Sabha seats by state after the delimitation.
The opposition has been fiercely crucial concerning the marked disparity between attainable revised Lok Sabha illustration for the northern states – a majority of which voted for the BJP within the 2014, 2019, and 2024 elections – and for these within the south.
And Mr Stalin’s authorities has been among the many most vocal on this regard.
Tamil Nadu’s Anti-Delimitation Transfer
In February Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK adopted a decision towards the proposed delimitation, arguing that states which have greatest managed inhabitants ranges ought to not be penalised.
READ | In Tamil Nadu Meeting, A Problem To Delimitation Train
Conversely, the DMK mentioned, states that had failed to take action shouldn’t be rewarded.
Chandrababu Naidu’s Comment
Mr Stalin’s remark – in jest, sure, however with a particular edge – got here shortly after his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, Chandrababu Naidu, additionally ‘suggested’ individuals to have extra youngsters.
Mr Naidu’s remark, nevertheless, was within the context of an growing old state inhabitants.
He warned {that a} disproportionate variety of aged individuals may have an effect on the state’s funds and supplied Japan for instance. “In lots of villages, solely aged individuals stay… because the younger have migrated to cities or abroad,” he mentioned, including his authorities would cross legal guidelines on this regard.
Centre Says…
The Narendra Modi authorities shall be thoughtful of the very fact southern states have, on common, managed inhabitants higher than the north, sources instructed EDNBOX in September final yr. Fears southern states shall be penalised by their Lok Sabha seats being affected, shall be allayed, sources mentioned.
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