While the Parliament braces itself for a stormy special sitting during which three key bills will be tabled, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday burnt a copy of the Delimitation Bill, calling it a "black law", while also launching a statewide anti-delimitation protest.
Stalin also shared on a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account in which he was seen burning the copy of the proposed bill. In his post, he alleged that the bill will only turn the people of Tamil Nadu into refugees in their own land. Stalin also likened the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the fascists and said their arrogance must be brought down.
"Then, the fire of resistance against #HindiImposition that rose from Tamil Nadu scorched Delhi. It quietened only after Delhi was forced to yield," the Tamil Nadu chief minister said. "Today, I have reignited that fire by burning the copy of this black law."
"This fire will now spread across the Dravidian land. It will rise, it will rage, and it will bring the BJP’s arrogance to its knees," he said, while using the hashtag "#SayNoToNDA".
The row over delimitation
The opposition led by Congress has vehemently opposed the delimitation, which is linked to the women's reservation law and is crucial for its operationalisation. The opposition has alleged that the delimitation will reduce the share of southern states in the Lok Sabha, thereby creating a north-south divide.
However, the government has rejected the opposition's allegations and argue that the share of states will increase by around 56 per cent. Criticising Stalin for his Thursday's actions, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Tamil Nadu chief minister is doing politics, adding that the opposition should not mislead the people.
"So, Tamil Nadu or any state should not worry. They should not misguide and mislead the people. That's my appeal... Every state, every union territory of India, need not worry. Everybody will be given a fair chance, representation and opportunities," the union minister said.
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