Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the proposed delimitation exercise, alleging that it is aimed at weakening Tamil Nadu’s political influence. He urged all political parties, irrespective of ideology, to oppose the proposed legislation in Parliament.

Addressing reporters, the Congress MP claimed the delimitation process was designed to reduce the political strength of Tamil Nadu and appealed to every political party to unite against the proposal.

Rahul Gandhi alleges conspiracy against Tamil Nadu

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to use delimitation to diminish the political representation of Tamil Nadu.

“There is an attempt by the BJP to carry out delimitation. Delimitation is designed to disenfranchise people and take away the political power of the people of Tamil Nadu. This is a BJP conspiracy,” he said.

He further asserted that anyone supporting the proposed delimitation exercise was “betraying Tamil Nadu” and compromising the state’s future.

Invokes ‘Ettappan’ to criticise supporters

Drawing a historical parallel, Rahul Gandhi referred to Ettappan, a figure traditionally viewed in Tamil culture as a symbol of betrayal, to criticise those backing the proposal.

He described supporters of the delimitation exercise as “21st-century Ettappans” and said no Tamil should support the move.

“Every Tamil person should oppose delimitation. Every Tamil party and every national party should defeat delimitation in the House,” he said.

Debate linked to proposed constitutional amendment

Rahul Gandhi’s remarks come amid speculation that the Centre could reintroduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill during the ongoing Parliament session.

According to the discussions surrounding the proposal, the Bill seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha to as many as 850 seats and facilitate the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures.

The speculation has gained momentum following recent political developments and party realignments ahead of the Monsoon Session.

DMK raises concerns over southern states’ representation

Amid the ongoing debate, reports have suggested that the DMK has softened its position on the proposal if the representation of southern states remains unaffected.

DMK leader TKS Elangovan said the government was again attempting to bring the delimitation proposal linked to women’s reservation before Parliament. He added that while political parties have different suggestions, the number of Lok Sabha seats allocated to southern states should not be reduced.

Prime Minister says abusive language has no place in society, urges people to guide misguided youth instead of seeking punishment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday appealed for restraint and forgiveness after abusive slogans directed at him during a student protest over alleged paper leaks at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. In a video message, he said abusive language could never resolve differences and urged society to help young people who had lost their way rather than seek revenge against them.

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Referring to the incident, the Prime Minister said the country had witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar, where some protesters allegedly used offensive language against him and his late mother. He described the protesters as “misguided youngsters” and said such language had no place in a civilised society.

PM Modi calls for guidance instead of punishment

PM Modi said young people are capable of learning from their mistakes and stressed that anger should not determine how society responds to such incidents.

He said mistakes made during youth also present an opportunity for correction and added that the focus should be on showing the right path instead of dragging young people into prolonged legal proceedings.

“I want to forgive them. I request society also to accept what I am saying,” the Prime Minister said, adding that people should work together for the country rather than allow abusive exchanges to deepen divisions.

The video shared by the Prime Minister carried the message: “Abuses never solve anything. Let’s guide the misguided. Let’s work together. Let’s work for Bharat.”

Police case registered after protest

The remarks came after a police case was registered over alleged objectionable slogans raised during a Cockroach Janta Party-led protest at Jantar Mantar on July 23 over alleged paper leaks.

According to the complaint, a 25-year-old woman allegedly made objectionable remarks during the demonstration.

A Zero FIR was registered at the Expressway Police Station in Noida under Sections 352, 353(1) and 356(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to provoking a breach of peace, statements conducing to public mischief and defamation. The case was later transferred to Parliament Street Police Station in Delhi for further investigation.

Cockroach Janta Party reacts

Responding to the case, Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Saurav Das said any allegedly derogatory remarks could be addressed through civil or criminal defamation proceedings by the affected individual. However, he argued that criminal machinery should not be used against protesters solely over objectionable language and termed such action condemnable.

At least 34 migrants have died while attempting to cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, as Spain faces one of its biggest border challenges in recent years.

According to Ceuta regional president Juan Jesus Vivas, around 60,000 migrants entered the Spanish territory from Morocco within the past 24 hours. The situation has escalated rapidly since Thursday, with security personnel confronting large groups attempting to enter the enclave.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez travelled to Ceuta on Friday, where he condemned the breach of the border and described the incident as a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity.

Sanchez blamed human smuggling networks for encouraging dangerous migration attempts, saying traffickers exploit vulnerable people and put their lives at risk.

Spain says many migrants have already returned

Spain’s Interior Ministry said nearly half of those who crossed into Ceuta have already returned to Morocco. The ministry also released footage showing people walking back through a border gate separating the two territories.

To strengthen border security, the Spanish government has deployed additional troops, police personnel, divers, drones and boats in and around Ceuta.

Videos circulating on Thursday showed thousands of migrants crossing into the Spanish enclave, highlighting the scale of the sudden influx.

Crisis sparks diplomatic tensions across Europe

The large-scale movement of migrants has triggered diplomatic reactions across Europe. Germany, Italy and Finland criticised the situation, while France tightened border checks with Spain.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the scenes in Ceuta as unacceptable in a social media post, stressing that entry into the European Union must comply with established rules.

An EU official later said there was no evidence of migrants moving onward from Ceuta into mainland Europe.

Italy also called for Spain to be suspended from the Schengen free-travel area, with Finland and Denmark expressing support for the proposal. France and the United Kingdom said they were ready to assist Spain in managing the crisis.

Donald Trump comments on Ceuta crisis

US President Donald Trump also reacted to the developments, using the situation to criticise the Democratic Party’s immigration policies.

According to Fox News, Trump said the United States could face a similar situation if Democrats return to power, using the events in Ceuta as a warning about border security.