Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Questions Amit Shah's Delimitation Assurances, Calls for Southern States’ Unity
Bengaluru, Feb 27: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has dismissed Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance that southern states would not lose any parliamentary seats due to delimitation, calling the claim "untrustworthy" and an attempt to create confusion.
His remarks come a day after Shah stated that the delimitation process would not reduce the number of Lok Sabha seats in the southern states. However, Siddaramaiah questioned the intent behind such statements, suggesting that either the Home Minister lacks accurate information or that the move is designed to disadvantage Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
Concerns Over Delimitation Impact on Southern States
Siddaramaiah pointed out that if delimitation is carried out based on the latest population figures, it would lead to a severe injustice against the southern states. He recalled that previous delimitation exercises used the 1971 Census to ensure fairness, as the southern states had successfully controlled population growth over the past five decades.
"The northern states—such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh—have lagged in population control and development. If the delimitation process is based on the latest census, southern states will either lose seats or see no increase, while northern states will gain more seats," he argued.
Citing multiple studies, Siddaramaiah warned that if the 2021 or 2031 census were used for delimitation, Karnataka's Lok Sabha seats could decrease from 28 to 26, Andhra Pradesh’s from 42 to 34, Kerala’s from 20 to 12, and Tamil Nadu’s from 39 to 31. Meanwhile, states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh could gain 11, 10, and 4 seats, respectively.
"If this is not injustice, what is?" he questioned.
Demands Fair Representation and Criticizes BJP’s Intentions
Calling the proposed process "unacceptable," Siddaramaiah asserted that either the 1971 Census should remain the basis for delimitation or the number of Lok Sabha seats should be increased proportionally without solely relying on population figures. He accused the Narendra Modi-led government of using delimitation as a tool to politically weaken the southern states, alleging that the Centre’s real intent is to punish regions that do not align with the ruling party.
He also recalled BJP President J P Nadda’s statement during the Karnataka Assembly elections, where Nadda allegedly warned that Karnataka would not receive Narendra Modi’s blessings if it did not vote for BJP. "Every action taken by the Union Government against our state now proves this statement to be true," Siddaramaiah said.
The Chief Minister further accused the Centre of being unfair to Karnataka, citing issues such as:
- Unjust tax revenue distribution
- Injustice in GST and disaster relief funds
- Imposition of an "unfair" education policy
- Amendments to UGC regulations to disadvantage the state
He claimed that delimitation is the latest "weapon" being used to silence the voices of the southern states in Parliament.
Call for Southern States’ Unity
Siddaramaiah criticized Karnataka’s BJP and JD(S) MPs for remaining silent on these issues, accusing them of acting like "slaves." He urged Kannadigas to set aside differences in caste, religion, and political ideology and unite against what he described as "injustice" by the Union Government.
Furthermore, he revealed that discussions were underway with neighbouring southern states to launch a coordinated movement against these alleged injustices. "In the coming days, a united fight will be initiated in collaboration with all affected states," he stated.
This issue is expected to fuel further political debate as southern states seek to safeguard their representation in the delimitation process.
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