'Give birth to a child immediately': Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin urges citizens to increase birth rate

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday urged couples in the state to «give birth to a child immediately» to secure greater representation in Parliament. His remarks come in response to the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, which he believes will reduce the influence of southern states in national politics.

Speaking at a wedding ceremony of a party worker’s son, Stalin highlighted the link between population size and parliamentary seats. «Before, we used to say don't give birth to a child immediately, no need to rush. But now it is not necessary, we shouldn't say that also. Because it is being said that the number of MPs would be decided based on population. The situation created is more population, more MPs. But we have achieved success with focusing on family planning. Now I won't say don't rush to give birth to a child, give birth to a child immediately,» he said.

Concerns over delimitation impact

Stalin emphasised that Tamil Nadu’s representation in Parliament is at risk due to the proposed changes. «With 39 MPs, we are fighting for rights, with more MPs, we can achieve our thoughts.» He called for an all-party meeting to discuss the implications of delimitation and urged political unity on the matter.

The upcoming delimitation exercise is expected to adjust the number of parliamentary seats based on population. While Tamil Nadu’s share is likely to see only a marginal increase, states like Uttar Pradesh could gain significantly more seats, shifting political power towards northern India.

Udhay