Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Aug 1: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged political parties across the country, especially those in Tamil Nadu, to unite against the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, alleging that it could weaken the State’s political representation.

Speaking to reporters at Mamallapuram near Chennai, Rahul Gandhi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to use the delimitation process to reduce Tamil Nadu’s influence in Parliament.

He called upon regional and national parties to come together and oppose any legislation that could adversely affect the State’s representation.

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the proposed exercise was aimed at "disenfranchising" the people of Tamil Nadu and diminishing their political voice.

"Every single Tamil party and every national party should defeat the delimitation bill in Parliament," he said, stressing the need for a united political stand.

He further claimed that any party supporting the BJP on the issue would be acting against Tamil Nadu’s interests and alleged that such a move would help the RSS and BJP weaken the State’s political strength.

Launching a sharper attack, Rahul Gandhi said leaders or parties that helped the BJP pass a delimitation bill would be remembered by history as the "21st-century Ettappan". Ettappan, an 18th-century Tamil ruler, is associated with betrayal for allegedly assisting the British against freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman.

The Congress has been raising concerns that a population-based delimitation exercise could reduce the parliamentary representation of southern states, which have achieved better results in population control compared with some northern states.

Rahul Gandhi was in Mamallapuram to attend a brainstorming and interaction session with District Congress Committee presidents. His remarks on delimitation came on the sidelines of the party programme, indicating that the Congress plans to make the issue a major political campaign while seeking wider support from parties in Tamil Nadu.