Population won’t be only criteria for delimitation, says Khushbu Sundar about BJP stand on delimitation

She was speaking during a panel discussion on “Delimitation: Southern Discomfort And Solutions” at Dakshin Dialogues 2023, the annual flagship thought conclave of South First, in Bengaluru on Saturday, 7 October.

She said that delimitation shouldn’t be solely driven by population statistics. “We must consider other factors and engage in constructive discussions. Although we were initially set to embark on this journey in 2021 with the census, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed it. Rather than dwelling on fears of exclusion, let’s come together. It’s not about ‘I belong to one region, and you belong to another’. Our shared focus should be on India’s progress,” she said.

The BJP leader also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had shown great affection for different regions of the country. “We should unite politically, even though we may hold varying political ideologies. This diversity is one of the strengths of our democracy. Let’s focus on moving our nation forward,” she said.

Related: Tharoor calls for southern consciousness to quell delimitation fears

Fear around delimitation is ‘unjustified’

Khushbu said that delimitation fear among the southern population was a basic fear arising because of politics.

“If you’d like me to speak from a BJP perspective, then I would assert that the Congress has been in power for the longest duration, and the extent of the deception and the type of growth we’ve witnessed in the country during its rule is questionable. However, I’m not implying that there was no progress during the Congress era; indeed, we experienced remarkable growth during the tenure of Indira Gandhi. Additionally, we witnessed the digital revolution during Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership,” noted the actor-turned-politician.

“Beyond these instances, it seems that the fundamental policy of the Congress, and I can speak to this from my six years as part of the Congress, has often been to delay decisions and address issues at a later date. This philosophy is still evident in the speeches of Rahul Gandhi, which I find to be lacking in coherence,” she said.

She said that she believed that delimitation, which is currently a topic of concern, was a necessary exercise for our country, “as it allows us to review and redefine electoral boundaries”.

She added: “Furthermore, discussions are underway regarding women’s reservation in Parliament, which is closely linked to delimitation. We should push for the implementation of the women’s reservation bill.”

Khushbu continued: “So, the fear surrounding delimitation is unjustified. It’s worth noting that this viewpoint isn’t unique to the BJP; even an American think tank Carnegie [the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace], suggested in 2019 that by 2026, the number of parliamentary seats could increase to 846. This indicates a global recognition of our country’s progress. So, why are we contemplating ways to impede our own advancement?”

She also said: “I understand that I’m here to represent my party’s views, and I acknowledge the importance of historical context. Nonetheless, we need to overcome the mindset that resists progress. Unfortunately, we sometimes witness this resistance.”

Siddaramaiah at Dakshin Dialogues: Karnataka model inclusive, empowering

Dakshin Dialogues

Dakshin Dialogues is South First‘s annual thought conclave that brings together South India’s biggest political and judicial minds, and social activists, on one stage.

While federalism was the primary theme of last year’s event, it is the core of each session this year, too, as South First continues to focus on the other half of the India story.

Dakshin Dialogues 2023 is seeing the likes of Vidadala Rajini, Khushbu Sundar, Shashi Tharoor, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, Dinesh Gundu Rao, and many others, discussing delimitation, the Southern model of governance, and so much more. Let the dialogues begin!

Watch the event live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI7PiM5KFJI