The contention that the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, is unconstitutional and goes against the interests of Kannada-speaking linguistic minorities in Kerala is a gimmick, the Aikya Malayala Prasthanam, a joint forum of organisations working for promotion of Malayalam language, has said.
The Malayalam Language Bill has been passed by the Kerala Assembly and is awaiting the assent of the Governor.
A recent meeting by a delegation from the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority with Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar followed by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s call to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw the Bill were political games. There was no essence in Karnataka’s allegations, the Aikya Malayala Prasthanam said in a statement here on Saturday.
In fact, the current moves by Karnataka should be viewed as an encroachment on the Constitutional rights of another State. Kerala has the Constitutional right to define its official language and decide its first language in education, the organisation said.
Article 6(3) of the Malayalam Language Bill specified that students whose mother tongue is not Malayalam will have the facility to study Malayalam, along with their mother tongue, if they wish.
