Chennai: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, participating in the Joint Action Council meeting convened by his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin on Saturday, March 23, said various reports indicate that the BJP-led Union Government is going ahead with the delimitation process without any consultation, and contended that this sudden move is not driven by any constitutional principle or any democratic imperative, but by “narrow political interests”.
“The proposed delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies is hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles,” said Vijayan at the meeting attended by three chief ministers, one deputy chief minister, and numerous frontline leaders from various parties.
“The delimitation process, if it is undertaken after the Census, will lead to a large increase in the number of seats of northern states while there will be a significant reduction in the representation of the southern states in Parliament. This will suit the BJP as they hold greater influence in the north. If delimitation is carried out purely based on population, then Kerala and other southern states will suffer as we have been bringing down our population since 1973 when the previous delimitation was carried out, in which the number of seats in the Lok Sabha was reorganised,” he said.
Vijayan further pointed out that the southern states “are now set to be punished precisely for our sincere implementation of the National Population Policy of 1976”. “When a State faithfully implements a nationally recognised policy, it deserves special consideration for that very reason. Not only is this consideration being denied, but we are even being penalised for fulfilling our duty to the nation. This is the crux of the current issue,” he said.
“The National Population Policy of 1976 was not intended only for specific regions of the country. It was declared by the Union Government as a policy for the entire nation. However, many states failed to implement it effectively. Our states, on the other hand, have implemented it commendably. The Union government has praised us time and again for our achievements. Yet, the same Union Government is now punishing us for having achieved the target and going beyond it. The approach seems to be; that now you have a smaller population, so now you deserve lesser funds and lesser representation. This is deplorable,” he added.
“Our decreasing population is being cited to justify it. Kerala’s share, which was 3.875 percent during the 10th Finance Commission, has now dwindled to a paltry 1.925 percent in the 15th Finance Commission. Effective implementation of population control measures invariably leads to a rise in public health spending. However, while devolving funds, no special consideration is given for the same,” said Vijayan.
“If our parliamentary representation is further reduced while our share of the nation’s wealth continues to decline, we will face an unprecedented situation in which both our rightful share of funds and our political voice to demand them, diminish simultaneously. It is in recognition of the gravity of this issue, that we – i.e. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, and Punjab are now uniting in protest,” he added.
Thanking Stalin for taking the initiative, he said that this meeting was the beginning of their coordinated resistance, by forming a Joint Action Committee. “The Union Government’s actions – from fiscal policies to language policies to cultural policies to now even the fixation of representation – are destabilising India’s federal system and democratic framework. This cannot be allowed to pass. India’s Constitution identifies India as a ‘Union of States’, which underlines our federal character. It strikes a balance between the Union and the States. The current effort at delimitation disrupts this equilibrium, disproportionately empowering states that failed to implement national policies like population control,” Vijayan said.
He added that in the 2011 census, Kerala’s population growth was a mere 4.92 percent, compared to the national average of 17.7 percent between 2001 and 2011. “All our states have recorded population growth rates below the national average during this period. The last reorganisation of seats in the Lok Sabha was conducted in 1973, based on the 1971 census. At that time, Kerala accounted for 3.89 percent of India’s population. However, due to the effective implementation of the National Population Policy over the next four decades, Kerala’s share had shrunk to just 2.76 percent by 2011,” he said.
“If the delimitation exercise is carried out now, Kerala’s reduced population will inevitably lead to fewer parliamentary seats. States being punished for successfully implementing population control policies is unconscionable. We are determined to resist this injustice. Federal principles and equitable representation must be upheld,” Vijayan stressed.
“Federalism is not a gift from the Union, but a right of the States. Our collective resistance is not just about seats; it is a fight to preserve India’s soul as a diverse and inclusive democracy,” he said in conclusion.
