‘First Defeat’ for PM Modi: Stalin Celebrates Women’s Reservation Bill Collapse

‘First defeat in 12 years’: Stalin takes dig at PM Modi after women’s reservation bill collapse

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday celebrated the defeat of the delimitation bill in Parliament by distributing sweets and lighting firecrackers, claiming that the “fire he ignited” had “scorched Delhi’s arrogance” and dealt a “severe blow” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.The proposed bill, which sought to expand the Lok Sabha to 850 members, remove the decades-long freeze on using 1971 Census data for seat allocation, and give Parliament the power to decide by simple majority which census figures to use, had sparked widespread opposition in southern states. Critics argued that the changes would diminish the political influence of southern states in national policy-making.

‘First defeat faced by Modi in his 12 years’

Referring to his act of burning a copy of the delimitation document a day earlier, Stalin told an election rally in Dindigul: “With the responsibility of chief minister of Tamil Nadu, given to me by you (people), the fire ignited by Stalin has ‘scorched’ Delhi’s arrogance. Our struggle (against delimitation) succeeded. Black shirt force has defeated the saffron brigade.”Stalin claimed this was perhaps the first defeat faced by Modi in his twelve years in office and said the “massive defeat” was just the beginning.“This is the first blow to the saffron party. At least from now onwards, don’t provoke Tamil Nadu. You will not be able to bear it (if we retaliate). This is also perhaps the first defeat faced by Modi in his 12 years rule,” Stalin said.He said the bill’s defeat in Parliament was just a “trailer” and that “more victories will follow us,” expressing confidence that the DMK-led alliance would win over 200 seats in the April 23 assembly election.Stalin also called the bill’s defeat “a massive pre-poll defeat for AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami,” urging voters to ensure the “total defeat” of the BJP and its “slave” Palaniswami on April 23.He claimed the BJP had thought Tamil Nadu would be “lethargic” if the delimitation bill was brought during elections. “But Tamil Nadu is always vigilant. It is Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin who is in Tamil Nadu,” he said, adding that the BJP’s defeat will start from the state.

Southern fears over delimitation

The proposed legislation had alarmed southern states, including Tamil Nadu, which feared that shifting the basis of population data from the 1971 Census to more recent figures would penalise states that had successfully implemented population control measures. Stalin had consistently argued that such a move would reduce Tamil Nadu’s representation in Parliament.