‘Tamil Nadu will fight’: PM Stalin warns PM Modi over progress in northern delimitation

New Delhi: tamil nadu chief minister Stalin The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the BJP-led central government over the proposed delimitation move, saying it would launch massive protests in the state if any move harms Tamil Nadu’s interests or unduly increases the political clout of northern states.In the video, Stalin reiterated his accusation that the delimitation process was being conducted without transparency and without consulting the state or political parties. He alleged that the Center was unilaterally advancing an issue that could significantly alter the balance of political representation.“We don’t even know how the demarcation exercise will work. So far, no explanation has been provided for the proposed constitutional amendment.”He said the lack of clarity has deepened skepticism in southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, where concerns remain high about the possible consequences of population-based seat redistribution.Talking about the special session of Parliament scheduled for April 16, Stalin claimed that the session was “forcibly convened” during the elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and alleged that the Union government intends to push for a constitutional amendment on delimitation without adequate debate.“In this session, the Union government intends to force through the constitutional amendment on delimitation,” he claimed.Stalin termed the move a threat to federalism and said any attempt to dilute Tamil Nadu’s relative political clout would trigger a state-wide backlash.“However, if anything harms Tamil Nadu or unduly enhances the political power of the northern states, we in Tamil Nadu will not remain silent,” Stalin was quoted as saying by the Press Trust news agency.The DMK chief warned that the response would be more than just a token protest.“Tamil Nadu will protest with full force. Every family will take to the streets. Under my leadership as chief minister of Tamil Nadu, we will organize a massive riot.”Stalin also warned the Center against seeing the election season as a distraction from the issue and said Tamil Nadu was ready for a larger political confrontation if necessary.“You will witness a Tamil Nadu like you have never seen. India will once again witness the DMK spirit of the 1950s and 1960s. Don’t mistake this for a threat. This is a warning. Even if you choose to interpret it as a threat, we don’t care. Yes, this is a warning from Tamil Nadu.”Citing the legacy of DMK founder CN Annadurai and late party leader M Karunanidhi, Stalin said the party believed that state rights were more important than electoral factors.On the birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar, he framed the issue as one of constitutional equity and federal justice.“If Tamil Nadu is affected, we will put the entire country on notice. Prime Minister, I repeat, this is Tamil Nadu’s final warning to you. Tamil Nadu will fight; Tamil Nadu will win.”Stalin said the DMK has been raising awareness on the delimitation issue and had brought together chief ministers and opposition leaders of the affected states through a joint action committee meeting held in Chennai last year.He also pointed out that despite repeated requests, including for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assure Parliament that southern states would not suffer under the new scheme, no such assurance has been given.The chief minister added that even requests from multi-party MPs to meet the prime minister on the issue were rejected, further reinforcing his claim that the Center was refusing to hold meaningful consultations.