After Naidu, TN CM Stalin bats for larger families, links it to delimitation concerns

The Lok Sabha delimitation exercise may make people to think about raising “16 children”, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said on Monday (October 21), alluding to a Tamil saying on 16 kinds of wealth but insisted that one should give Tamil names to their kids.

His remarks come close on the heels of his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu saying that people in southern states should have more children, as he cited concerns about an ageing population.

Stalin was alluding to a Tamil saying “pathinarum petru peru vazhvu vazhga,” meaning acquire 16 different kinds of wealth and lead a prosperous life, while referring to the census and delimitation process which will redraw the electoral map of India.

Also Read: Why Naidu is asking South Indian families to have more kids

‘Provide Tamil names to your kids’

Stalin said newly wedded couples may give up the idea of begetting few children now.

“The Parliament delimitation process may encourage the 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 CM said after solemnising the marriages of 31 couples at a function held under the aegis of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department in Chennai.

"In the past, the elders used to bless newly married couples to acquire 16 kinds of wealth (pathinarum petru peru vazhvu vazhga) including fame, education, lineage, wealth, etc., and not 16 children. Gradually, people have come to believe in raising a small family for prosperity," he said.

“That blessing doesn't mean beget 16 children… now a situation has arisen where people think they should now literally raise 16 children and not a small and prosperous family,” Stalin said.

Also Read: India's South and North are worried about population for vastly different reasons

DMK’s fears over delimitation

Notably, this is not the first time Stalin has raised concerns about the process of delimitation. In February this year, the DMK-led state government passed a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly against delimitation and ‘one nation one election’.

After the resolution was passed, Stalin, in a post on X, said it was a watershed moment for Tamil Nadu “as it took a decisive stand against the Union BJP government’s authoritarian agenda”.

“We refuse to be treated as second-class citizens and have unanimously passed two resolutions: One to shield our state from unfair delimitation exercise, ensuring that we are not punished for our socio-economic progress and successful population control measures; and another staunchly opposing the undemocratic [‘one nation one election’] fantasy, which threatens the very fabric of our diverse democracy,” Stalin said.

The chief minister said that delimitation would lead to a drop in the number of elected representatives for Tamil Nadu and other southern states. Stalin said both the proposals impinge on democracy and must be opposed in unison.

Also Read: TN Assembly adopts resolution against delimitation, one-election plans

What did Naidu say?

Earlier, underlining demographic challenges, Andhra CM Naidu pointed to a declining fertility rate in southern states, which has dropped to 1.6, well below the national average of 2.1.

“Though we have a demographic advantage until 2047, signs of an ageing population are already visible in southern India, including Andhra Pradesh,” he cautioned.

“In many villages across Andhra and other parts of the country, only elderly people remain. The younger population has moved to other parts of the country or abroad,” he said.

(With agency inputs)