Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin Accuses Center of Conspiring to Weaken South India's Political Power Through Census Delay and Delimitation
Stalin Census Attack: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a scathing attack on the central government over the delay in the national census. He alleges that the Modi government is deliberately delaying the census to weaken the political participation of southern states by undertaking delimitation based on the 2027 population figures. He termed this process a "dangerous conspiracy" and detrimental to Indian democracy.
What did Chief Minister Stalin say about the census delay?
MK Stalin explicitly stated that the delay in the national census by the central government is not merely a technical or administrative issue, but a strategic and political move. According to him, the government aims to initiate the delimitation process based on the 2027 census. This will harm states that have adhered to population control guidelines, especially southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Stalin argues that if the 1971 census data is superseded and the 2027 census is used as the basis, the number of Lok Sabha seats for southern states could decrease, while those of northern India would increase. This would create an imbalance in parliamentary representation.
'Punishment for Good Population Policies'
Chief Minister Stalin stated that southern states have successfully implemented population control policies. These states have performed better than other regions in family planning, education, and healthcare. However, he claims these efforts are now being politically penalized.
He added that the population in northern states has grown rapidly, and if the redistribution of Lok Sabha seats is based on this, the political power balance will completely tilt towards the north. This, he argues, would be against the Indian federal structure.
What is the central government's stance?
The Ministry of Home Affairs, responding to concerns from southern states, previously stated that no state's rights or representation would be curtailed. The Center maintains that the delimitation process is in its initial stages and the opinions of all states will be considered. However, Stalin does not appear satisfied with this assurance. He believes the BJP government has a weak track record of keeping its promises.
Targeting the Center Using the Example of Jammu and Kashmir
Stalin targeted the BJP, citing the example of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the BJP promised in the Supreme Court to restore statehood, but Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union Territory. This, he claims, clearly shows that it is difficult to trust the central government's intentions.
Attack on AIADMK
MK Stalin also criticized the opposition party AIADMK. He stated that the AIADMK has compromised with the BJP to survive politically, but the DMK will not. He asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu stand with the DMK, and the party is committed to leading the state on the path of development.
It is noteworthy that on April 11, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in a Chennai press conference that the BJP and AIADMK would contest the 2026 assembly elections together. This context underpins Stalin's attack on the AIADMK.
What is Delimitation and Why is it Controversial?
Delimitation is the process of redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on population. The aim is to ensure that each constituency has roughly the same number of voters. The last delimitation was based on the 2001 census, but the allocation of seats was not changed based on the 1971 census.
The path for delimitation will open again after 2026, and if the 2027 census is used as a basis, northern states with larger populations may gain more seats, while the representation of southern states may decrease. This is why concern is growing in southern states over this issue.
