Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar during the first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting of states over the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary seats by the Centre, in Chennai on Saturday, March 22, 2025
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the attitude of the BJP-led Union government towards southern States seems to be on the lines of “now you have a smaller population and you deserve less funds and less representation”.
Addressing the first Joint Action Committee meeting on Fair Delimitation, he said the BJP government was going ahead with the delimitation process without any consultation, and the sudden move was not driven by any constitutional consequence or democratic imperative, but for very narrow political gains.
“If the delimitation is taken up after the Census it will lead to a large increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats in the northern States while there will be significant reduction of representation of southern States in Parliament. This will suit the BJP as they hold greater influence in the North,” he added.
Mr. Vijayan said if delimitation was carried out purely on the basis of population, Kerala and southern states would suffer.
“Our States are now set to be punished for our sincere implementation of the national population policy of 1976. When a State faithfully implements nationally recognised policy, it deserves special consideration for that very reason. Not only is this consideration being denied, but we are being penalised for fulfilling our duty for the nation. This is the crux of the current issue,” he said.
Mr. Vijayan said the national population policy was not intended for specific regions of the country, but was declared as a policy for the entire nation. “Many States, however, failed to implement it effectively. Some States, on the other hand, have implemented it commendably. The Union government has praised us time and again for our achievements, yet the same government is now punishing us for having achieved the target and going beyond it,” he said.
D.K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, said the proposed delimitation exercise, based solely on population, was not just a technical adjustment, but a political assault on the Southern states.
He said he had brought with him the unwavering support of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who, due to health constraints, could not be present.
Mr. Shivakumar accused the BJP government of seeking to punish the southern States for their success in controlling population growth, improving literacy, and empowering women.
“Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and other southern States have contributed immensely to India’s growth. We have prioritised education, healthcare, and sustainable development. Yet, the Centre now plans to reduce our parliamentary representation, effectively silencing our voices in the national discourse. This is not just unfair — it is a betrayal of the constitutional promise that development and good governance should be rewarded, not penalised,” he said.
He said though Karnataka contributed over ₹4 lakh crore annually to the Centre’s gross tax revenue, it got in return a mere ₹45,000 crore in tax devolution and ₹15,000 crore in grants.
“For every rupee Karnataka contributes, only 13 paise comes back to us. This is not just an economic injustice; it is a systemic plunder of our resources,” he alleged.
Mr. Shivakumar said it was not a battle between the North and the South, but a fight to reclaim the vision of India as a union of equal States.
“Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and all progressive States will not be silenced. We will fight in the courts, in Parliament, and on the streets to protect our rights, our resources, and our identity. Let us channel the defiance of Periyar, the statesmanship of Annadurai, and the fire of Basavanna. Remember: When Karnataka and Tamil Nadu stand together, no power can break us. When Kerala and Punjab raise their voices, the Himalayas will tremble,” he declared.
Published – March 22, 2025 11:16 pm IST
