Stalin calls meet on 'delimitation sword' over southern states

The impending delimitation of Lok Sabha seats is a sword hanging over the southern states, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said on Tuesday as he called an all-party meeting in Chennai on March 5 to discuss the politically contentious issue.

- KA Shaji

CHENNAI:

Stalin, who heads the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, also hit out at the Centre over the three-language policy in the National Education Policy, saying the Union government was sowing the seeds of another language war and that Tamil Nadu was ready for it.

The CM said 40 registered political parties in the state will be invited for the all-party meeting.

"Tamil Nadu succeeded in population control through the family planning programme. Just because the population is less, there is a situation of the Lok Sabha seats being cut down (in TN). We stand to lose eight seats and as a result, we would be having only 31 MPs, and not 39," he added.

"Our representation (in Parliament) will reduce, Tamil Nadu's voice is being stifled. This is a matter of Tamil Nadu's rights. All leaders and political parties should jointly speak across party lines on the issue," the CM added.

Asked if the meeting will discuss the three-language policy, Stalin said that to raise the voice in Parliament on issues such as NEP, central funds and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), an adequate number of MPs was required. "Because, in the name of delimitation, a sword is hanging over southern states," he said.