Delimitation will cause economic hardship to South Indian States, says Congress leader D.K. Suresh

Bangalore Milk Union Limited (BAMUL) president and Congress leader D.K. Suresh on Tuesday alleged that the delimitation of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies would not only reduce the number of seats for South Indian States but would also lead to serious economic hardship.

Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Mr. Suresh said, “The southern States need to wake up. Whether seats are gained or lost is not the point.” He was replying to a question regarding the Prime Minister’s claim that delimitation would not result in a loss of seats for South India.

“A special Lok Sabha session has been called from April 16. We need to watch how the Centre introduces the Bill in this regard. Overall, this is a conspiracy to funnel the South’s money to the northern States. Our taxes will be diverted to them,” he alleged.

“The Union government says it is carrying out delimitation based on the 2011 Census. This is even more dangerous. As per the Census, Bengaluru’s population was 60 to 70 lakh. It is now about 1.40 crore. Karnataka’s population was 5 crore then, and has now grown beyond 7 crore. Along with this, numerous challenges, including economic ones, will arise. All parties need to consider this seriously,” he said.

“Our country is facing considerable problems due to the war in West Asia. The Union government has not broken its silence on this matter. The Prime Minister addresses Indian citizens on other occasions, but to this day, neither he nor any Union Minister has given the people of this country guidance on how to handle the situation. The Prime Minister must communicate clearly — what the issues are, how to face them over the next six months, and what measures need to be taken,” he said.