Lok Sabha delimitation may encourage couples to have many children, says Stalin

Barely two days after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked women to have more children to stabilise the population in his state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, referring to a Tamil adage, has said the Lok Sabha delimitation exercise may make people think about raising “16 children”.

The statement by Stalin came on October 21 while he attended a mass marriage event in Chennai.

At the event, Stalin talked about the census and delimitation process which would redraw the electoral map of India, and referred to a Tamil saying “pathinarum petru peru vazhvu vazhga,” meaning acquire 16 different kinds of wealth and lead a prosperous life.

“The Parliament delimitation process may encourage couples to have many children and give up thoughts of a small family. But whatever be the outcome, provide Tamil names to your children,” the Chief Minister said after solemnising the marriages of 31 couples at a function held under the aegis of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department.