Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday intensified his protest against the Centre’s proposed delimitation move by burning a copy of the bill and hoisting a black flag, formally launching a statewide agitation.

The government will convene a special three-day session of Parliament beginning Thursday, a sitting expected to be stormy as it moves to introduce three major bills that could reshape India’s electoral architecture and representation system.

In a post on X, Stalin called for widespread resistance across Tamil Nadu. “May the resistance spread across Tamil Nadu! May the arrogance of the fascist BJP collapse,” he said. Drawing parallels with past anti-Hindi agitations, he added that earlier resistance from Tamil Nadu had forced Delhi to yield and asserted that a similar movement would challenge the current proposal. He claimed the bill would “turn Tamils into refugees in their own land” and said the agitation would spread across the “Dravidian land” to subdue the BJP’s “arrogance.”

The protest comes amid mounting opposition to the proposed delimitation, which is linked to a population-based revision of constituencies using the 2011 Census. The issue has escalated further after the Centre approved draft amendment bills to operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023. Opposition parties have also raised concerns over the haste in convening a special Parliament sitting during the election season.

Stalin also called for people across the state to hoist black flags at their homes as a symbol of resistance. Black flags were put up at the residence of Tamil Nadu Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi in Tiruchirappalli’s Thennur as part of the protest.

Mahesh earlier alleged that the Centre plans to increase Lok Sabha seats to 850, claiming it would undermine state rights. He said the number of seats in states like Uttar Pradesh could rise significantly and noted that the draft report had not been shared with opposition parties. He argued that federalism should be debated collectively and accused the Centre of turning the issue into a conflict rather than consulting states.

He also questioned the timing of the move, stating that parties are currently engaged in election work in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and suggesting that the exercise appeared to be driven by ulterior motives.

Meanwhile, the Centre has convened a special sitting of Parliament from April 16 to 18 to take up key legislative business, including matters related to the proposed changes.