Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday escalated his opposition to the Centre’s language policies and Lok Sabha delimitation process, stating that the state is prepared for "another language war" if necessary. His remarks come amid growing tensions over alleged Hindi imposition and concerns that Tamil Nadu could lose up to eight Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming delimitation exercise.

Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat, Stalin announced that an all-party meeting will be held on March 5 to discuss the potential loss of parliamentary representation. He emphasized that Tamil Nadu’s success in population control through family planning should not result in a reduction of seats, warning that the state’s voice in Parliament is being stifled.

DMK vs BJP: The delimitation battle

Stalin asserted that delimitation, which is based on population figures, unfairly penalizes southern states like Tamil Nadu that have implemented effective family planning policies. Under the proposed changes, Tamil Nadu could lose 8 Lok Sabha seats, reducing its representation from 39 to 31 MPs.

"A sword is hanging over the southern states in the name of delimitation," Stalin remarked, calling for unity across political parties to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s rights.

Language war intensifies amid Hindi imposition row

When questioned about the BJP-led Union government's stance on the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP), Stalin accused the Centre of sowing the seeds of another language war. He reaffirmed Tamil Nadu’s long-standing opposition to the policy, reiterating that the state will continue with Tamil and English, rejecting Hindi imposition.

The DMK has consistently clashed with the BJP over language policies, accusing the Union government of trying to enforce Hindi at the expense of regional languages. The Centre, however, has denied these allegations.

With delimitation set to reshape parliamentary representation, Stalin’s strong stance signals a widening rift between Tamil Nadu and the Centre. The upcoming all-party meeting on March 5 will determine the state’s next course of action, as political tensions mount ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.