Delimitation Puts South States' Future At Risk: KTR

In his address at the Delimitation Conference organised by the Southern State leaders and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, BRS working president K T Rama Rao voiced serious concerns over the potential fallout of the ongoing delimitation process in Southern India.

The conference, attended by prominent leaders from the Southern States, aimed to address the contentious issue of delimitation.

Terming it a threat to the future of Southern states, KTR said that the exercise extended beyond merely adjusting parliamentary representation, and threatened to undermine the States' economic contributions, governance achievements and democratic representation.

He cautioned the attendees that it could lead to the centralisation of funds and fiscal control, jeopardising the progress of the Southern States.

The Southern States, which had excelled in population control and economic development, were being unfairly penalised, he said, and accused the Union government of perpetuating decades of discrimination against the region.

The BJP-led Union government had further exacerbating regional disparities, he claimed, citing examples including the allocation of bullet train projects exclusively to the Northern States while the Southern States were overlooked.

"Indeed, for decades, the Southern States have continuously faced discrimination from the Centre. The current delimitation proposals will not only reduce our parliamentary representation but also inflict injustice across all sectors," he added.

He said that delimitation should factor in a State's economic progress, administrative efficiency and developmental achievements rather than relying solely on population metrics.

"The Southern States contribute 36% to India's GDP despite constituting only 19% of the population, and they deserve proportional representation in Parliament based on their economic output. Freezing Parliamentary seats for 50 years based on population and now punishing the Southern States for their success in population control is grossly unjust. The Southern States do not deserve punishment; they deserve encouragement for their contributions to India's growth. If the Centre's goal is better governance and representation, it must explore alternatives that don't sow discord among States," he said.

As an alternative, KTR proposed reforms that would maintain the current number of Lok Sabha seats while increasing the MLA seats in State Assemblies to improve governance efficiency.

He also called for a united front among the Southern States, drawing inspiration from Tamil Nadu's legacy of fighting for regional rights and the Dravidian movement's role in upholding federal principles.

KTR also invoked the 14-year Telangana movement under KCR's leadership as a testament to resisting majority dominance. He said that Telangana's struggle against Delhi's centralised authority and the unified State's majority leadership culminated in achieving its aspirations - a spirit he said inspired the current battle against delimitation's inequities.

"India is a democratic nation, but it is also a federal union of diverse identities and cultures. We must not forget this. If four or five States begin dictating the nation's future, it will erode the spirit of federalism. The Union government to reconsider its approach and avoid turning democracy into an authoritarian mobocracy. India can become a superpower by 2047 only if the States driving progress are rewarded, not penalised," he said in conclusion.