'Census delay no accident, delimitation not a coincidence', says Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin warned that if delimitation is carried out using the 2027 Census, the democratic influence of southern states would be severely weakened and would unfair to them

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin on Friday accused the BJP-led central government of deliberately delaying the national Census and orchestrating the delimitation process with a hidden agenda.

 

Calling the Census delay “no accident” and the delimitation exercise “no coincidence,” he said, “The danger I warned of is at our doorstep.”

 

In a post on social media, he alleged: “There is a sinister design in how the BJP-led Union Government is implementing the national Census and the subsequent delimitation. Developed states, especially in the non-Hindi speaking South, which followed population control norms, will now be punished.”

 

 

He argued that states which disregarded population control for years would be rewarded with additional seats in Parliament. This, he said, distorts the federal structure and unfairly benefits neglect over progress.

 

Stalin noted that he had already “warned about this design” and cited senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s detailed explanation of “how this sleight of hand is unfolding.” He said it was time to remain vigilant and prepare strategies to defend the South’s representation.

 

“The 2027 Census will form the basis for the next delimitation, replacing the 1971 data. This gives the Union BJP government the means to restructure parliamentary representation to its advantage, at the cost of the southern states,” he alleged.

 

While the Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that the concerns of affected states will be considered, Stalin described such assurances as vague. He insisted that the situation calls for a clear commitment in Parliament and the introduction of a Constitutional amendment.

 

He added: “Just look at what happened after Article 370 was abrogated. The Union government spoke of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Elections were held. Assurances were given in the Supreme Court. Yet, Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union Territory. This is the track record of BJP we are dealing with.”

 

Stalin warned that if delimitation is carried out using the 2027 Census, the democratic influence of the southern states would be severely diminished.

 

He also criticised the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), saying, “Betrayers like the AIADMK choose to kneel before the BJP for their political survival,” but that the people of Tamil Nadu, under the DMK’s leadership, would not allow the state to suffer for its developmental success.