'Country shouldn't be divided...': Amit Shah slams Oppn for 'North vs South' narrative over delimitation issue

Shah said that the people opposing delimitation are against increase in number of SC, ST seats.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday urged opposition to support delimitation in the Lok Sabha. He stated that delimitation will lead to rationalisation of voters in every constituency.

He also attacked the Opposition for saying southern states will suffer over delimitation, saying "Let me make this clear once again: the southern states have exactly the same rights in this House as the northern states. In fact, even a small Union Territory like Lakshadweep has the same rights as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Bihar. This country should not be divided through such narratives, neither a North-South narrative nor any other divisive framing," Shah said.

"Hum pe bharosa karein (I assure) the opposition that if they support us for delimitation, then the value of each vote will have equal value across constituencies," he claimed over the discussion on delimitation.

He further added that "if one listens to this discussion carefully, word by word, no one has openly opposed the Women's Reservation Amendment. Everyone has said they support women's reservation and have welcomed this Constitutional Amendment."

"However, if one examines it closely, members of the INDI alliance, while expressing support, have used 'ifs' and 'buts' and, in effect, have indirectly opposed women's reservation."

He said that the people opposing delimitation are against increase in number of SC, ST seats.

Shah also reminded the opposition that in 1972, PM Indira Gandhi's government brought the Delimitation Bill and increased the number of seats from 525 to 545, and then froze it at this.

"Even at that time, it was the Congress party that deprived the country's people of delimitation, and today too, it is the Congress party that is depriving them of delimitation," he added.