Modi tries to create rift between Southern-Northern States by accusing Congress

The Prime Minister alleged that Congress was demanding that seats should be divided according to the population of a particular community or caste.

Hyderabad: At a time when voices of dissents are echoing in various parts of the South over the proposed delimitation exercise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday shrewdly tried to use the issue to create a rift between Southern and Northern States by accusing the Congress and its partners in I.N.D.I.A of demanding delimitation based on population as an attempt to reduce Lok Sabha seats in Southern States.

Addressing a public meeting in Nizamabad, the Prime Minister alleged that Congress was demanding that seats should be divided according to the population of a particular community or caste. “If the formula of the Congress is implemented in the delimitation process, Southern States will be in great loss as they have been performing better than many Northern States on socio-economic and human development indices. They have succeeded in controlling their population,” he claimed.

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The Prime Minister also tried to blame other parties including the Congress for the delay in passing the Women’s Reservation Bill. “The Bill was delayed due to Congress for 30 long years. It was due to BJP’s commitment that the Bill was passed without any hurdles. The Opposition parties were forced to support the Bill,” he said, without however explaining why the BJP, despite being in power since 2014, had not taken up the Bill till now.

Earlier, Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth more than Rs.8,000 crore in important sectors like power, rail and health. He dedicated to the nation the 800 MW Unit of phase 1 of Telangana Super Thermal Power Project of NTPC, the new railway line connecting Manoharabad and Siddipet; and the electrification project between Dharmabad – Manoharabad and Mahabubnagar – Kurnool. He also flagged off the Siddipet – Secunderabad – Siddipet train service.