Bhubaneswar, Mar 22 (UNI) Delimitation based solely on population figures would be unfair to states that have worked diligently to reduce their population growth rates under national priorities, BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik said on Saturday.
Addressing virtually the Joint Action Committee meeting on delimitation convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, the BJD President urged the Union Government to hold detailed discussions with all political parties to dispel doubts regarding this critical issue, which has far-reaching implications for democracy.
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) deputed its former MP Amar Pattnaik and former Minister Sanjaya Dasburma to represent the party at the meeting.
Patnaik described the meeting as a significant step in ensuring democratic representation and safeguarding the rights of people in states that have successfully controlled and stabilized their populations.
"Population control is a crucial national agenda for the country's development," he said, adding that while population policies were implemented at the state level, the Union Government has long prioritized this issue.
The BJD President further noted that several states—including Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, West Bengal, Punjab, and Odisha—have successfully implemented population control measures.
"If these states had not succeeded in stabilizing population growth, India would have faced a population explosion, derailing our developmental progress," Patnaik stated.
He emphasized that while these states have contributed to a positive national agenda and the vision of a stronger India, delimitation based solely on population figures would be unfair to those who have diligently worked to reduce their growth rates in alignment with national priorities.
Odisha, he highlighted, has significantly reduced its fertility rate over the years.
"If the projected population figures for 2026 are considered, we will end up losing seats in both the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly," Patnaik warned.
He stressed that states like Odisha, which have made commendable efforts to control population growth, should not be penalized—especially when they have excelled in a key national priority.
The Biju Janata Dal, he asserted, will take all necessary steps to protect the interests of the people of Odisha.
"Hence, our stand is that population should not be the sole criterion for determining the number of seats in the highest representative body of our country," said Patnaik, the former Odisha Chief Minister who led the state for 24 years.
He also expressed gratitude to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin for organizing the meeting.
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