North India Statesman
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Chennai/New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has taken a very tough stance regarding the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats proposed by the Central Government. He warned that if an attempt was made to reduce the political representation of Tamil Nadu or South Indian states through the process of delimitation, there would be a massive mass movement in the state like in the 1960s.
This statement of Stalin has come at a time when a special session of Parliament is starting from April 16, in which serious topics like delimitation and women’s reservation are to be discussed.
Mathematics of delimitation: Why is the South afraid?
South Indian states, especially Tamil Nadu, argue that they successfully implemented central government family planning programs for decades and achieved population control. Now if delimitation happens on the basis of population after 2026, then the seats of North Indian states (where population growth has been high) will increase and the seats of states like Tamil Nadu will remain reduced or stable.
Threat: Stalin believed this would “unjustly” reduce the political power of the southern states.
Warning: “Each of our families will take to the streets and bring the entire state to a standstill.”
That era of 1960 and the rise of ‘Anna’
The 1960s that Stalin referred to in his warning were the most turbulent period in the history of Tamil Nadu (then Madras Presidency). This was the time when the anti-Hindi movement shook the entire country.
C.N. Annadurai: ‘Anna’ who awakened Tamil identity
E.V. C.N., a disciple of Ramaswami ‘Periyar’ and founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Annadurai (who was fondly called ‘Anna’) was the biggest hero of this movement.
Linguistic Argument: When the pressure to make Hindi the national language increased, Anna gave a historic argument in the Parliament— “If Hindi is considered the national language on the basis of majority, then the crow should be the national bird, because it is more numerous than the peacock.”
Movement of 1965: Anna declared ‘Mourning Day’ on 26 January 1965. About 70 people lost their lives in the violence that took place during this period. The self-immolation and violent demonstrations of the students forced the central government to bow down.
Name change: Anna had raised a strong demand in the Rajya Sabha to change the name of ‘Madras’ to ‘Tamil Nadu’, which was later accepted.
Confluence of cinema and politics
Annadurai had understood that cinema was the most effective medium to convey his message to the people of Tamil Nadu. He met M. Karunanidhi and M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), made films a tool for social and political change. His dialogues were not just entertainment but a cultural war against the Congress government.
1967: The election that changed history
Annadurai’s strategy and public interest issues (such as rice and inflation) ousted the Congress from power in 1967. Anna, who wore a simple dhoti, became the Chief Minister and introduced public-friendly policies like ‘Two Rupee Rice Scheme’.
Today’s situation: Is history repeating itself?
The way MK Stalin is opening a front against the Center today, it is somewhere like C.N. This is an attempt to take forward the same legacy of Annadurai. The issue of delimitation has now become not just the mathematics of seats, but a symbol of respect for Tamil identity and regional power.
