Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin convened a meeting of state parties, including AIADMK, to address concerns over ‘Hindi imposition’ and delimitation, crucial issues between the DMK and the central government. The resolution presented urged Prime Minister Modi to base delimitation on 1971 population data for 30 years, ensuring fair representation for all states. Five opposition parties, including BJP, did not attend, labeling the meeting a distraction from the state’s law and order issues. Stalin emphasized that delineation should not disadvantage Tamil Nadu, highlighting the state’s successful population control efforts ahead of the 2026 election.
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin convened a meeting of state parties, including arch-rivals AIADMK, on Wednesday to address the issues of ‘Hindi imposition’ and delimitation, which are central to the ongoing conflict between the ruling DMK and the central government.
During the meeting, Mr. Stalin presented a resolution calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that any future delimitation is based on the population data from 1971 and maintained for an additional 30 years to encourage other states to manage population growth responsibly. The resolution further requested a constitutional amendment to guarantee proportional representation for all states if the number of Members of Parliament is increased.
Five smaller opposition parties, including the BJP and its local ally, the Tamil Manila Congress (M), chose to boycott the meeting. Both the BJP and TMC (M) characterized the meeting as a tactic to distract from what they claim is a worsening law and order situation in Tamil Nadu.
Actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam was in attendance.
DMK-Led Resolution On Delimitation
The resolution further emphasized that any increase in the total number of MPs should adhere to the same proportional representation structure established by the 1971 census. This means Tamil Nadu should not be penalized for having successfully controlled its population growth over the years.
“In 2000, the then-Prime Minister (the BJP’s Atal Bihari Vajpayee) assured that any delimitation would be guided by the 1971 census. Similarly, PM Modi should assure that this approach will be retained from 2026 for the next 30 years.”
“Tamil Nadu does not oppose delimitation. However, this meeting asserts that delimitation must not serve as a penalty for a state that has implemented effective social welfare schemes…”
The resolution also proposed the creation of a joint action committee consisting of MPs from Tamil Nadu and other southern states, who also share concerns about delimitation, aiming to “raise public awareness regarding this matter”.
READ | “Sword Over South States”: MK Stalin On Delimitation, ‘Hindi Imposition’
Last week, when announcing this meeting, Mr. Stalin cautioned southern states, stating, “… a sword is hanging over our heads in the name of delimitation.” He expressed concerns that “Our representation in Parliament is set to diminish… Tamil Nadu’s voice is being suppressed. This is fundamentally about Tamil Nadu’s rights.”
DMK vs BJP On Delimitation
Delimitation has emerged as a significant point of contention between the DMK (and the majority of Tamil Nadu’s political factions) and the BJP-led central government, especially with an Assembly election approaching next year.
The DMK has raised concerns regarding the proposed delimitation, which involves redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies to reflect changes in population over time.
Critics argue that this process could disadvantage southern states, which, on average, now have smaller populations compared to northern states, by reducing their number of MPs. In contrast, northern states that have not managed their populations as effectively will possess a disproportionately larger influence in Parliament.
For instance, Tamil Nadu currently holds 39 Lok Sabha seats, accounting for 7.2 percent of the total seats. As a result of population-based delimitation, this share could potentially decline as the state may receive fewer seats overall.
Recently, Home Minister Amit Shah assured Tamil Nadu and other southern states that they would not lose seats and might actually gain more. However, Mr. Stalin pointed out that this assurance does not prevent an increase in seats for northern states, which he views as another part of the problem.
As this issue develops leading up to the 2026 Tamil Nadu election, a series of sharp exchanges have occurred between the DMK and the BJP, with delimitation emerging as a pivotal campaign topic.
Earlier this week, Mr. Stalin humorously urged newlywed couples in Tamil Nadu to start having children immediately to bolster the state’s population.
READ | “Babies Now…”: Stalin’s Message For Newlyweds Is Delimitation Jab
At a wedding attended by a party official in Nagapattinam, the Chief Minister remarked that whereas he usually advised couples to take their time in family planning, “Now… there is a necessity for us to have a larger population to secure more MPs. Get children without delay…” he declared.
On Hindi ‘Imposition’
The BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit has initiated a door-to-door campaign for signatures advocating the three-language policy, which the DMK and AIADMK claim is a mechanism to ‘impose’ Hindi.
READ | “Saying Silly Things”: Centre On MK Stalin’s “Hindi Destroyed 25…” Jab
The BJP has rejected this assertion, insisting that the new education policy merely offers students the chance to learn a third language of their choice, which need not be Hindi.