'Have Babies Immediately': Stalin's Sarcastic Advice To Newlyweds Amid Fears Of Tamil Nadu Losing Seats In Delimitation

In a rebuke of the Union Government’s proposed delimitation exercise, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has sarcastically urged newlywed couples to start planning families immediately to ensure the state retains its political influence when the process of redrawing parliamentary and Assembly constituencies takes place.

NDTV reported, speaking at the wedding of a DMK district secretary in Nagapattinam, Stalin remarked that he had previously encouraged couples to take their time before having children.

"But now with policies such as delimitation that the Union Government is planning to implement, we cannot say that. We focused on family planning and succeeded and were pushed into a situation such as this. So I would now urge newlyweds to immediately have babies and give them good Tamil names," he stated.

The DMK has been at the forefront of opposing the delimitation process, arguing that it unfairly disadvantages southern states like Tamil Nadu, which have successfully implemented family planning measures.

He has also pointed out that Tamil Nadu, despite its significant contributions to India’s GDP, may find its representation in Parliament reduced due to these demographic shifts.

Countering Stalin’s remarks, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson C R Keshavan accused the DMK of engaging in "desperate and dishonest diversionary drama".

He questioned whether the party had the courage to confront Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Jitni Abadi, Utna Haq’ remark, which suggests rights should be allocated based on population.

"Does the DMK, which is engaging in desperate and dishonest diversionary drama, have the courage to question Rahul Gandhi and seek an explanation on his call for 'Jitni Abadi, Utna Haq', means rights proportionate to the population? This call of Rahul Gandhi is in direct contradiction with what DMK is purportedly claiming," he stated.

The BJP has also accused the DMK of attempting to distract the public from what it describes as the party’s failure in governance.

Meanwhile, Stalin reiterated his opposition to the Centre’s broader policies, including what he perceives as an effort to impose Hindi through the National Education Policy.

He also made a direct appeal to the state BJP, urging them not to boycott an all-party meeting scheduled for 5 March to discuss the implications of delimitation.

"They are trying to implement delimitation that will reduce the number of Lok Sabha seats to Tamil Nadu. I have convened an all-party meeting on 5 March to discuss our stand on delimitation. Forty registered with the Election Commission have been invited. A majority of them have said yes, and a few are skipping it. But they should understand that this is not a problem of DMK, it is a problem for the entire state. So I urge everyone again to stand together for the welfare of this state and its rights," he said.