It's a war to protect rights: MK Stalin's stark warning to Centre on delimitation

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has launched another round of blistering attacks on the Centre over the proposed delimitation exercise, declaring that the state’s opposition was “not merely a protest, but a war”. He cautioned New Delhi against testing Tamil Nadu’s fighting spirit by pushing ahead with the process.

“What we are carrying out against this constituency delimitation injustice is not just a protest, it is a war. Wars are nothing new to Tamil Nadu,” Stalin said at a public rally.

Recalling past mass agitations in the state, the DMK chief said, “First came the struggle for social justice, when reservation was under threat. It was Tamil Nadu that first pushed for a constitutional amendment. Then came the language struggle. Tamil Nadu has a long history of resisting the imposition of Hindi, a movement in which people even sacrificed their lives for their mother tongue.”

“What is unfolding now is a war to protect Tamil Nadu’s political rights,” he asserted.

Tamil Nadu, along with other southern states, has opposed delimitation move based on the 2011 Census, arguing that it would disadvantage states that have successfully implemented population control measures. They contend that such a move would disproportionately benefit states with higher population growth, potentially reducing the political representation of southern states, many of which are governed by opposition parties.

“But now, we are told that constituencies will be reorganised based on population. The reality is that states which failed to control population growth during the same period stand to gain greater representation,” Stalin said.

Issuing a stern warning to the Centre, he added, “I want to caution Delhi against provoking Tamil Nadu’s fighting spirit.”

He further alleged that the delimitation exercise posed a serious threat to the state. “This is a major danger created by the BJP and its ally AIADMK against Tamil Nadu. It is a conspiracy to weaken and silence the state’s voice,” Stalin said.

Emphasising democratic principles, the Chief Minister said that safeguarding people’s rights was essential for meaningful elections.

On Thursday, during the special Parliament session convened to pass key bills, including those related to delimitation, the DMK staged black flag protests across Tamil Nadu. Stalin also burned a copy of the proposed legislation, calling it a “black law” and demanding its immediate rollback.

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