He claimed the real agenda behind delimitation is to consolidate Hindi-speaking states into one bloc, secure an absolute majority, and win elections through manipulation
Published Mar 05, 2025 | 2:28 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 05, 2025 | 2:28 PM
Kamal Haasan speaking at the all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu.
Synopsis: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan said that the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on the 2026 Census will affect several states in India. Pointing out that delimitation was not in 1976 and 2001, he said that there was no need to increase the numbers in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. He claimed that it was intended to win elections through manipulation.
Speaking at the all-party meeting held by the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, 5 March, actor-politician Kamal Haasan said that the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on the 2026 Census will affect several states in India.
“The delimitation of parliamentary constituencies based on population will not only impact Tamil Nadu but also states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Odisha, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the northeastern states,” the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief said.
Haasan commended Chief Minister MK Stalin for organising the meeting and other parties for attending it.
“As the great poet Thiruvalluvar said, ‘Precaution is better than cure, for once the damage is done, it is difficult to recover’. We have gathered here today (Wednesday) to prevent a potential crisis from engulfing our nation,” he said.
He recalled a statement he made during a conclave by a television channel two years ago and said, “I clearly stated that states that have cooperated in national development by controlling their population should not be punished for their efforts.
“Friends, in this matter, there are two fundamental principles we must consider — democracy and federalism. These two are like the two eyes of our governance. We can achieve an inclusive and developed India only by maintaining a balanced vision between them,” he added.
Pointing out that delimitation was not in 1976 and 2001, he said that there was no need to increase the numbers in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
“In both 1976 and 2001, despite having prime ministers from different political backgrounds, the governments at that time prioritised federalism and did not proceed with delimitation based on population. In 1976, India was considered a developing nation on the global stage, with a population of 550 million and 543 parliamentary seats. Over the last 50 years, our population has increased to 1.45 billion, yet we have progressed with the same 543 seats. This proves that democracy and federalism have remained intact at the national level with the current number of representatives,” he said.
“Therefore, there is no necessity to increase the number of members in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. This is the firm stance of Makkal Needhi Maiam. Regardless of which political alliance wins an election, our position will remain unchanged,” he added.
He said that most of the policies framed by the Union government are implemented by state governments. “If anything needs to be increased based on population, it should be the number of state assembly constituencies, not parliamentary seats,” he said.
Haasan also asked people to seek answers to who is raising the issue of delimitation, when, and why.
Answering the questions, he said, ‘This decision is being taken by a Union government that interferes with the rights of states, allocates more funds to election-bound states in the Union Budget while neglecting others, denies Tamil Nadu its rightful financial share, ignores our pleas during times of disaster, attempts to impose Hindi under the guise of the three-language policy, and uses threats, saying, “Funds will be given only if you listen to us.”
He also asked people to look into the timing of the proposed delimitation.
“Most importantly, we must consider the timing of this move. The population census was deliberately postponed under the pretext of Covid-19, but now they plan to implement delimitation in 2026. Their real agenda is to consolidate Hindi-speaking states into one bloc, secure an absolute majority, and win elections through manipulation,” he said.
“While we dream of an inclusive INDIA, they are trying to create a ‘HINDIA’. Why forcefully fix something that isn’t broken? There is no need to interfere with a functioning democracy time and again. Any form of delimitation will ultimately harm non-Hindi-speaking states. This unnecessary move threatens the federal structure of India,” he added.
Haasan reiterated that the number of parliamentary constituencies should always remain unchanged.
“This is the only way to safeguard democracy, federalism, and India’s diversity. As an Indian, a Tamilian, and on behalf of Makkal Needhi Maiam, I strongly emphasise this stand,” he said.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
