The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers in the new parliament have increased seating capacity, keeping in mind that the delimitation exercise would increase the number of MPs. (Image: PTI/File)
BRS working president and minister KT Rama Rao said southern states would face “grave injustice” with population-based delimitation
Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said that Lok Sabha delimitation is a constitutional process and it is not known when it will be taken up, even as the BRS party in Telangana said that if it is done on the basis of population, it will would be a “gross injustice” to the South. Speaking to reporters in the national capital on Wednesday, Reddy had said that the new Parliament was built on the basis of future needs.
Delimitation is a constitutional process. We do not know when it will be taken. The new Parliament was built on the basis of future needs. We are not making any new law on that (delimitation).
The Lok Sabha chamber in the new Parliament House, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 May, has triple the number of seats with enough space for 888 members, and the new Rajya Sabha has a seating capacity of 384 members. This is in light of the fact that at some point in the future the delimitation exercise will increase the number of MPs in the country.
Reddy further said that the central government has not made any new law on delimitation and it (delimitation) is not because of Prime Minister Modi. He always respects South Indian personalities, Kishan Reddy said, pointing out that the PM never ends his speech without quoting a freedom fighter or poet or any prominent person from the South.
“The central government is fully cooperating with the governments of the southern states. Sengol belonging to the South was raised in Parliament,” he said.
Back in Hyderabad, minister KTR, speaking to reporters on Thursday, said the Centre’s family planning campaign in the late 1970s and 1980s was taken seriously by southern states and some other progressive states, resulting in lower population growth.
“You cannot punish states that have done well in population control and say that since you have controlled population, now we will punish you by reducing the number of seats in your Parliament or your representation in Parliament. This is absurd and appalling,” KTR said. He appealed to leaders and people of southern states to speak up against the “injustice” that goes beyond politics and asked the Center to hold discussions with all stakeholders in this regard.
The minister issued a statement on Wednesday alleging that the southern states may face “grave injustice” with population-based delimitation. AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi agreed with the minister’s statement and said that he has made an important point.
“In the last five years this concern has been expressed that you cannot punish the states which have controlled the population. And if you are going to make delimitation criteria on the basis of population then how can you punish the states which have controlled the population.
The Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad further said that the Center has to find a way where the states which control their population growth are not left behind when it comes to their representation in the Lok Sabha. He said that the Sangh Parivar and the BJP largely blame the population growth, and sought to know their position whether they want delimitation to be done on the basis of population or on the basis of how those states control population Is.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,