Delimitation row: Stalin announces statewide protest, issues warning to Centre

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced a statewide black flag protest against the proposed delimitation exercise, warning the Centre of serious consequences. The DMK is also reaching out to other states to build a united opposition on the issue

Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday announced a state-wide black flag agitation on April 16 against the proposed delimitation exercise and warned the Centre of consequences and a “heavy price” if it did not heed Tamil Nadu’s voice.

Stalin, the president of the ruling DMK, after chairing an emergency meeting of party MPs and party district secretaries through video conference on the subject of delimitation, said, “The sword that hung over our heads has now descended upon us.” The DMK is reaching out to MPs across states and devising a coordinated strategy to counter this “grave danger”, he said.

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In a statement, Stalin alleged the delimitation amendment the Union BJP government plans to bring in Parliament on Thursday was a “massive, historic injustice” against Tamil Nadu and the southern states.

He asked if the delimitation exercise, which would allegedly be against southern states, was a “punishment for contributing to India’s progress.” “Is this how Tamil Nadu and the southern states are repaid,” he asked.

Naturally, every South Indian south of the Vindhyas is seething with anger, he claimed.

“The BJP is playing with fire. Across Tamil Nadu, black flags will rise from homes and public spaces tomorrow (April 16) in protest against delimitation.” If the Union government refuses to respect Tamil Nadu’s voice and step back, it will face the consequences.

“The price you will pay will be heavy,” the chief minister warned. This was not only in his capacity as the president of the DMK, but above all as a “self-respecting Tamil,” he said in a stern warning.

Asserting that his party was reaching out to all states, the DMK chief said: “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.”

Earlier in the day, Stalin convened an emergency meeting of DMK MPs and later party district secretaries to discuss the repercussions the state is likely to face due to the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise.

The emergency meeting via video conference from Dharmapuri was held amid his busy electioneering schedule, party sources said.

The meeting commenced at 11 am, and the party line to be followed in Parliament on delimitation was discussed, sources added.

Chief Minister Stalin on Tuesday warned of massive agitations bringing Tamil Nadu to a standstill and “protests with full force,” if anything was done harming the state or if the political power of northern states was disproportionately increased in the delimitation exercise.

He had said that the nation may have to witness again “the DMK of the 1950s and the 1960s,” apparently referring to the party’s early phase in which it spearheaded a slew of agitations over state rights and against alleged imposition of Hindi.

The DMK was founded in 1949 by Dravidian icon C N Annadurai.

Addressing election rallies in northern Tamil Nadu, Stalin had alleged on April 14 that the draft bill on women’s reservation showed that it was a “conspiracy” that would increase the gap between Tamil Nadu and the northern states when delimitation was implemented.

As part of his efforts to mobilise support against delimitation, Stalin had last year convened a meeting of non-BJP ruled states here, and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his counterparts from Telangana and Punjab, Bhagwant Mann and A Revanth Reddy, respectively, and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, among others, had attended the deliberations.

On Tuesday, after Revanth Reddy wrote to him on delimitation, Stalin conveyed to him that, “Our unity is to protect our state rights and secure a just and equitable future for our generations to come. The South will stand together, speak with one voice, and uphold the true spirit of federalism.”

Reddy wrote to CMs of southern states and the UT of Puducherry proposing a “hybrid model” under which 50 per cent of the proposed additional seats would be allocated on a pro rata basis and the remaining on GSDP and other criteria.