Warring calls for consensus on parliamentary delimitation in Punjab
· Seeks all party meeting to defend Punjab’s parliamentary interests
CHANDIGARH, April 4 (WISHAVWARTA);- Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today sought all party consensus in Punjab over the proposed delimitation of the parliamentary constituencies across the country.
In a statement issued here today, Warring said that the government of India had convened a special session of the parliament on April 16,17 and 18. He said, while the official agenda was to amend the Reservation of Women Bill, there are reports that the government may also pass the bill for delimitation of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies across the country.
He said, Punjab like many other states will be at a great disadvantage. He said, while the populous states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will stand to gain substantially, Punjab will be at an overall disadvantage.
Warring disclosed that according to the reported proposals the government of India plans to increase the number of seats by 50 percent, for both the parliament and the assemblies.
He said, while in case of the state assemblies, it will not make any difference, for the parliament, smaller states like Punjab will be at a great disadvantage. He said, according to the reported proposals, Punjab’s strength of MPs will go to 20, while that of Uttar Pradesh will go to 120. This, he pointed out, will give great advantage to states like UP in the parliament.
This, the PCC president warned, can have far reaching consequences for the state. “When we would not be having any effective parliamentary strength, we will definitely stand to lose”, he said, while urging all the parties in Punjab to come together and form a strategy to jointly oppose any such move.
