"They want to create 'Hindia": Kamal Haasan at All-Party Meeting, opposes constituency delimitation

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 5 Makkal Needhi Maiam President Kamal Haasan sharply criticized the Union government's push for parliamentary constituency delimitation, warning that it could undermine India's federal structure and diversity.
Speaking at the All-Party Meeting on the issue, Haasan emphasized that the move threatens the inclusive vision for India by promoting a homogenized "Hindia."
"The issue of parliamentary constituency delimitation based on population is not just a concern for Tamil Nadu; it also affects states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Odisha, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Northeastern states," Haasan stated. He acknowledged the broad impact the move could have and expressed his gratitude to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin for organizing the meeting. Haasan also appreciated the participation of Tamil Nadu parties who set aside ideological differences to attend the discussion. "I sincerely appreciate Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin, for organizing this all-party meeting with this awareness," he said.
Haasan continued by quoting Thiruvalluvar: "A person who does not take preventive action in advance will perish like dry grass thrown into the fire." He emphasized that the meeting was held to address the issue before it could harm the nation.
Referring to his earlier remarks, Haasan reiterated his clear stance on the matter: "States that cooperated for national development by controlling population growth should not be punished."
He elaborated on the core principles of democracy and federalism. "In this debate, we must focus on two key principles: democracy and federalism. These are like two eyes, and only by valuing both can we achieve the vision of an inclusive and developed India," Haasan explained.
He went on to remind the audience of the past decisions made by previous Prime Ministers. "In 1976 and again in 2001, despite being from different political parties with different ideologies, the Prime Ministers of those times respected federalism and refrained from redrawing parliamentary constituencies based on population."
Haasan emphasized that the population has significantly increased since India's independence, but the number of MPs has remained the same. "Back in 1976, India was considered a developing country on the global stage, with a population of 550 million and 543 Members of Parliament. Today, our population has grown to 1.45 billion, yet we continue to function effectively with the same 543 MPs. This proves that our current parliamentary representation is sufficient to uphold democracy and federalism at the national level," he said.
Makkal Needhi Maiam, Haasan said, firmly believes that there is no need to change the number of parliamentary representatives in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. "Regardless of which political alliance comes to power, our stance will remain the same," he affirmed.
Haasan also pointed out that while the Union government formulates policies, it is the state governments that implement them. "If representation is to be increased based on population, it should be in state legislatures, not in Parliament," he argued.
He then raised questions about the real motives behind the push for delimitation. "Who is raising the issue of constituency delimitation? Why are they bringing it up now? What is their real agenda?" Haasan asked, questioning the timing and intention behind the move.
Haasan criticized the Union government for interfering with states' rights, allocating additional funds only to poll-bound states, and ignoring Tamil Nadu's rightful share of financial resources. He also accused the government of attempting to impose Hindi under the guise of a "three-language policy" and threatening state governments with financial aid tied to compliance.
"This arbitrary decision is part of that same pattern," Haasan said. He also questioned why the government skipped the Census, citing COVID-19, and now plans to implement delimitation in 2026. "The real motive behind this is to consolidate power in Hindi-speaking states and ensure a decisive electoral victory," he suggested.
Haasan also said, "We envision an inclusive India, but they want to create 'Hindia.' Why try to fix something that isn't broken? There is no need to repeatedly disrupt a functioning democracy. No matter how constituencies are redrawn, the ones most affected will always be the non-Hindi-speaking states. This move undermines federalism and is entirely unnecessary. Not just today, not just tomorrow, but at all times, keeping the number of parliamentary representatives unchanged is crucial to preserving democracy, federalism, and India's diversity. As an Indian, a Tamilian, and on behalf of Makkal Needhi Maiam, I strongly emphasize this."
The all-party meeting presided over by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin passed a resolution requesting PM Modi to give assurance in the parliament that if delimitation is done, it should be based on the 1971 population census from 2026 to the next 30 years. 64 parties were called for today's all-party meeting on Constituency Delimitation, in which 58 parties (including organisations) participated.