Delimitation separate from population management: Chandrababu Naidu
New Delhi, Mar 5 (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday sought to dispel confusion around delimitation, asserting that it is a separate issue from population management and should not be linked to the ongoing political discussions.
"Delimitation is a continuous process, occurring once in 25 years," Naidu told reporters here.
"Don't link all issues at a time. Delimitation and population management are different. I am talking about national interest," he added.
Discussing the ongoing political debates, Naidu emphasised, "There are reservations, and we will accommodate them. But don't link all issues at a time."
Speaking about India's demographic potential, Naidu highlighted the country's unique position in the global demographic landscape, describing India as having the "biggest advantage of demographic dividend".
Naidu also drew attention to the global aging crisis, pointing out the population challenges in countries like Japan, China, and some European nations.
"Japan is minus 8 per cent. It is an important issue for the survival of human beings," Naidu said.
"Aging problem has started in south India. Only two states -- Bihar and Uttar Pradesh -- have advantages in north India. We were thinking it is a disadvantage but it is an advantage now," he said.
Challenging the traditional family planning perspectives, Naidu revealed a personal policy shift.
"Even I used to advocate family planning as a challenge. Now, I am changing my views and promoting population growth," he said.
The chief minister also suggested a new approach for resource allocation, saying, "Wealth creation and population often conflict."
He proposed that "the government of India or the finance commission should promote population".
"Don't punish those who have aging problems today. Give incentives for more children," he said.
On concerns about delimitation, particularly those raised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Naidu said, "All those things will be discussed. Sometimes some decisions are taken on the basis of assumptions. But sometimes all assumptions don't give dividends for the society. We have to change our views."
"We will work out how to keep everyone's sentiments in mind," Naidu said, positioning himself as a pioneer in "demographic management".
Clarifying his approach, Naidu added, "I did not say population promotion, but demographic management. If you do demographic management, sustainability of the economy will be there, and Indians will do a great job."
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Punjab: Blast near army cantt area in Amritsar, hours after explosion in Jalandhar
Chandigarh (PTI): An explosion occurred near the army cantonment area in Khasa late Tuesday night in Punjab's Amritsar, the second such incident which took place around three hours after a blast outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar.
According to the police, an investigation into both blast incidents is currently underway, and no injuries have been reported.
The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar, while the second blast occurred at approximately 11 pm in Amritsar.
Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud sound at around 11 pm on a road in Khasa. "Our teams arrived on the scene immediately," he said.
Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP.
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Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.
Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S. Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off.
CCTV footage from the vicinity shows the explosion occurring at night. A local villager reported that his family was awakened by the loud sound and came outside their home to see what had happened.
Before the Amritsar explosion, a blast took place outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday, causing panic in the area.
CCTV footage captured the explosion, which resulted in a cloud of smoke. An unidentified man was seen running for cover following the blast.
The blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. It belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, one of Gurpreet's relatives said that the scooter caught fire as he was approaching it. He immediately called his father and informed him about the incident.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that an Activa scooter parked near the gate caught fire suddenly. She stated that Gurpreet is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses nearby reported hearing a loud sound following the explosion.
On April 27, an explosion occurred at a freight corridor rail track in Shambhu in Patiala. Police had arrested four members of a pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, for the blast.
In light of these incidents, opposition parties have condemned the AAP government for its handling of the situation.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, over the recent blasts.
"Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day, May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters and Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and the collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann, who is also the state Home Minister, is busy with mimicry and cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office," Badal said in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also slammed the Mann government over the two blasts.
"Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action," Warring said in a post on X.
