Chennai, Aug. 1 : Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday urged all national and regional political parties to oppose the Centre’s proposed delimitation bill in Parliament, alleging that the exercise is aimed at reducing Tamil Nadu’s political representation and weakening the voice of its people.
Speaking to reporters at Mamallapuram after attending the Congress party’s organisational programme, Gandhi claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to implement a delimitation process that would “disenfranchise and take away power from the Tamil people.
“Describing the proposed exercise as a “conspiracy” against Tamil Nadu, Gandhi said every political party representing the state’s interests should unite to defeat the bill in Parliament.
“Anybody supporting the delimitation bill is betraying Tamil Nadu. Every Tamil party and every national party must oppose it,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that political parties backing the legislation would be remembered as “21st-century Ettappans,” referring to the historical figure associated with the capture of freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman.
Gandhi was in Tamil Nadu to participate in a brainstorming session with District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents trained under the party’s organisational restructuring programme.
Addressing party office-bearers during the concluding session of the 10-day training camp, Gandhi reportedly criticised factionalism within the Congress and stressed the need for unity, discipline and grassroots work.
According to party sources, he said leaders who fail to work collectively for the organisation’s growth would have no place in the party.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi met the families of students who died by suicide over issues related to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), expressing solidarity with them and criticising the examination system.
He said the country was asking students to work honestly in a system that had repeatedly failed them through paper leaks, cancelled examinations and uncertainty.
In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi said the grief of parents who had lost their children could never be erased and described the country’s education system as “broken and corrupt.
“He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over recent remarks on forgiving students, saying the government should instead apologise to young people affected by examination irregularities.
“India’s students do not need the Prime Minister’s forgiveness. The Prime Minister should apologise to them,” Gandhi said.
After completing his engagements in Mamallapuram, Gandhi departed for New Delhi from Chennai.
