“Immediately have babies…”: MK Stalin Mocks Centre's Delimitation Plans, Urges Newlyweds to Plan Families Early

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took a sarcastic jab at the Centre's proposed delimitation plans, suggesting that newlywed couples in the state should start planning their families right away to gain an advantage during the exercise.

At a wedding function in Nagapattinam, the CM remarked, “I would earlier ask newlyweds to take their time before they plan a family, but not anymore,” according to an NDTV report. Stalin added, “But now with policies such as delimitation that the Union government is planning to implement, we cannot say that.” He further elaborated on the issue, highlighting how Tamil Nadu has successfully implemented family planning measures in the past. “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,” Stalin said.

The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in Tamil Nadu has been vocal in opposing the Centre's delimitation plans. These plans involve redrawing the boundaries of parliamentary and assembly constituencies based on demographic changes. CM Stalin voiced his concerns that southern states like Tamil Nadu, which have successfully implemented family planning, could be at a disadvantage when the delimitation process occurs after 2026.

Stalin fears that such a process could lead to a reduced representation of southern states in Parliament, despite their significant economic contributions and successful population control policies. He expressed his worries about the potential implications of these changes for Tamil Nadu.

In response to Stalin’s remarks, BJP spokesperson CR Keshavan criticized the Chief Minister, accusing him of engaging in a “desperate and dishonest diversionary drama.” Keshavan also raised a pointed question about whether the DMK had the courage to challenge Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s comments on population rights. “The DMK, which is engaging in desperate and dishonest diversionary drama, has the courage to question Rahul Gandhi and seek an explanation on his call for ‘Jitni Abadi, Utna Haq’?” Keshavan asked, referring to Gandhi’s call for population-based rights. Keshavan also accused the DMK of diverting attention away from the party’s alleged “gross mismanagement, misrule, and misgovernance.”