Drawing a comparison with the roll out of demonetisation, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday criticised the government’s proposed Delimitation Bill, alleging it was being pushed through with undue haste.Warning of serious political consequences, Tharoor said the proposal could result in “political demonetisation” and urged the government to reconsider its approach.Participating in a discussion on the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor expressed concern that linking women’s reservation to the delimitation process would “hold the aspirations of Indian women hostage” to a political minefield.“Delimitation is not a mere bureaucratic rearranging of maps. It is a profound shift in political power,” he said, cautioning that in future delimitation exercises, states that have failed to curb population growth would be rewarded with greater political weight.”He also criticised the government’s handling of women’s reservation, questioning why a moral imperative for gender equality should be tied to a complex and contentious administrative exercise. “The Prime Minister says the government has brought Nari Shakti and called it a a gift of justice, but has wrapped it in barbed wire,” Tharoor remarked.The Thiruvananthapuram MP further raised concerns over the proposed expansion of the Lok Sabha to 850 seats. While the government plans to increase the strength of the Lower House, he noted that there was no corresponding proposal to expand the Rajya Sabha, warning that this could create a serious institutional imbalance between the two Houses of Parliament. “The absence of any proposal to increase the size of the Rajya Sabha raises a serious question,” he said.Tharoor said that the Congress supported the Bill for granting women their reservation in Parliament and state Assemblies. But any delimitation exercise was fraught with complications that could tear at the very fabric of federalism. He emphasised that there should be extensive discussion on the delimitation process, and it could not be conducted in haste. He also stated that if the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed immediately, they would support it.Reiterating his stance, Tharoor warned that linking women’s reservation to delimitation would effectively hold the aspirations of Indian women “hostage” to one of the most complex and politically sensitive exercises in the country’s administrative history.Meanwhile, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) responded sharply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on DMK members wearing black attire in the Lok Sabha, saying the colour symbolises resistance and empowerment.Black linked to Kali, Periyar: DMK’s counter-jibe at PMTaking a jibe at the Prime Minister’s comment, Kanimozhi, who attended the session in a black saree, said black was associated with Periyar, who taught them to fight injustice till the end. She added that black was also linked to Goddess Kali, symbolising the destruction of arrogance.Participating in the parliamentary debate, the DMK leader strongly opposed the proposed delimitation exercise, and accused the BJP of using women as a “shield” for electoral gain. She also criticised the Centre for allegedly failing to consult state chief ministers on the issue.Kanimozhi further questioned the timing of the notification of the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, asking what necessitated its sudden implementation. She argued that linking women’s reservation to delimitation undermines the federal structure of the country.Calling for a separation of the two processes, she said the delimitation exercise should be delinked from the women’s quota to ensure fairness and transparency.