Opposition: Delimitation will turn out to be political demonetisation, linking it to women quota a trap

DMK's Kanimozhi says tying delimitation to women’s reservation is a “trap”, SP's Dimple Yadav asks if Centre truly wants to empower women or work towards its own empowerment.

Leading the Opposition charge in the Lok Sabha against the Centre on the three Bills linked to delimitation and women’s reservation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said “delimitation will turn out to be political demonetisation”, adding that a march towards a new India should not lead to a “disunited India”.

The Congress MP said, “What happens to cooperative federalism? You have proposed delimitation with the same haste that you did with demonetisation… Unfortunately, we know what damage it did. Delimitation will turn out to be political demonetisation. Don’t do it.”

Tharoor said: “Delimitation requires deliberation. There are three major fault lines: (first) the balance between small and big states. Then, the balance between states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which have implemented the national population control goals. And states in the north which have not (done so),” Tharoor said.

“In delimitation, states which have failed to control population will be rewarded with greater political weight. We must ask if this is the message we want to send… Third, the balance between the states that have been engines of our economy and those that are net recipients of central funds,” he added.

As Tharoor raised questions about the House’s efficiency if the number of members is increased to more than 800, Speaker Om Birla said that if he continues in the Chair, time will be given to all. Tharoor said: “I don’t know what will happen if 850 members are in the House.”

He argued that wide consultations with stakeholders, state governments, political parties, and citizen bodies on delimitation are required. “I urge the government to decouple the issues. Pass the women’s reservation bill today, and we will support it. The PM spoke with passion about nari shakti. Let it take effect already in the next general elections, using our current seat count. Show the women of the country that your commitment is not mere rhetoric. Let us defer delimitation… Let us ensure that a march towards a new India does not give us a disunited India,” said Tharoor.

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said tying delimitation to women’s reservation is a “trap”.

She said, “The delimitation commission will be chaired by a Supreme Court judge who will be appointed by the government… The HM said that a 50% increase in seats will occur… What happens if the delimitation commission doesn’t listen to the home minister… Where will we go for justice?” she asked.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dig on Thursday at DMK members wearing black clothes to protest the amendment Bill, saying it works as a “kala tika” to ward off the evil eye, Kanimozhi said black is the colour of Goddess Kali and that her party will protest over the issue till the end.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav alleged that the Bills have been brought because the BJP’s vote is “slipping away”. She said, “Your sole aim is to run away from the data that will come from the caste census.”

She asked if the government “truly wants to empower women”, or is working towards its own empowerment through these Bills.

TMC’s Satabdi Roy said that by using women as a shield, the BJP-led government is working on a formula to win elections. “I request the country and the House that… stop making women Devi, Durga and Kali. Consider women as human, and that is enough.”

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More

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Leading the Opposition charge in the Lok Sabha against the Centre on the three Bills linked to delimitation and women’s reservation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said “delimitation will turn out to be political demonetisation”, adding that a march towards a new India should not lead to a “disunited India”.

The Congress MP said, “What happens to cooperative federalism? You have proposed delimitation with the same haste that you did with demonetisation… Unfortunately, we know what damage it did. Delimitation will turn out to be political demonetisation. Don’t do it.”

Tharoor said: “Delimitation requires deliberation. There are three major fault lines: (first) the balance between small and big states. Then, the balance between states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which have implemented the national population control goals. And states in the north which have not (done so),” Tharoor said.

“In delimitation, states which have failed to control population will be rewarded with greater political weight. We must ask if this is the message we want to send… Third, the balance between the states that have been engines of our economy and those that are net recipients of central funds,” he added.

As Tharoor raised questions about the House’s efficiency if the number of members is increased to more than 800, Speaker Om Birla said that if he continues in the Chair, time will be given to all. Tharoor said: “I don’t know what will happen if 850 members are in the House.”

He argued that wide consultations with stakeholders, state governments, political parties, and citizen bodies on delimitation are required. “I urge the government to decouple the issues. Pass the women’s reservation bill today, and we will support it. The PM spoke with passion about nari shakti. Let it take effect already in the next general elections, using our current seat count. Show the women of the country that your commitment is not mere rhetoric. Let us defer delimitation… Let us ensure that a march towards a new India does not give us a disunited India,” said Tharoor.

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said tying delimitation to women’s reservation is a “trap”.

She said, “The delimitation commission will be chaired by a Supreme Court judge who will be appointed by the government… The HM said that a 50% increase in seats will occur… What happens if the delimitation commission doesn’t listen to the home minister… Where will we go for justice?” she asked.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dig on Thursday at DMK members wearing black clothes to protest the amendment Bill, saying it works as a “kala tika” to ward off the evil eye, Kanimozhi said black is the colour of Goddess Kali and that her party will protest over the issue till the end.

Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav alleged that the Bills have been brought because the BJP’s vote is “slipping away”. She said, “Your sole aim is to run away from the data that will come from the caste census.”

She asked if the government “truly wants to empower women”, or is working towards its own empowerment through these Bills.

TMC’s Satabdi Roy said that by using women as a shield, the BJP-led government is working on a formula to win elections. “I request the country and the House that… stop making women Devi, Durga and Kali. Consider women as human, and that is enough.”