Karnataka CM's stand on Malayalam language bill 'wrong': Minister P Rajeev

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev on Saturday termed as "wrong" the stand taken by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the Malayalam language bill proposed by the state government. Rajeev, speaking to reporters, said the Karnataka CM's views were probably based on the earlier Malayalam Language Bill that had not received Presidential approval.

The Law Minister said the new bill proposed by the state permits Tamil and Kannada language minorities to study in their respective mother tongues and the official communications in such areas are also in their languages. He said that under the new bill it was optional for students in such areas to study Malayalam.

"These provisions were not there in the earlier bill and we had received objections regarding it back then. So, we took that also into consideration while drafting the new bill," Rajeev said.

"So, the Karnataka CM's views appear to be based on the provisions of the earlier bill. He has taken a wrong stand, probably on the instructions of the Congress leadership," he added.

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The minister further said that when the new bill was tabled in the House, the opposition Congress was sitting outside in protest over the Sabarimala gold issue and therefore, they probably did not know about its contents. "Otherwise, when the Karnataka CM spoke against the bill, which is the collective emotion of the state, the opposition had the responsibility of telling him that rights of the language minorities have been protected," Rajeev said.

He said that the government was of the view that there should be no conflict or row between states and wanted Kerala and Karnataka to work together.

"So, the Karnataka CM or the Congress leadership in Kerala should have studied the issue or at least asked the state government about the bill's provisions. Not doing so will only create unnecessary controversy," he said.

Karnataka CM urges Kerala to withdraw Malayalam Bill

Siddaramaiah had on Thursday opposed the Malayalam Language Bill and urged Kerala to withdraw its "coercive approach" and uphold India's constitutional morality.

"The proposed Malayalam Language Bill-2025, by mandating compulsory Malayalam as the first language even in Kannada-medium schools, strikes at the heart of linguistic freedom and the lived reality of Kerala's border districts, especially Kasaragod," Siddaramaiah had posted on "X'.

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On Friday, he wrote to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan expressing serious concern over the bill. He had stated that if the Bill is passed, Karnataka will oppose it by exercising every constitutional right available, in defence of linguistic minorities and the plural spirit of the country.

The Karnataka Border Areas Development Authority (KBADA) had recently said that the Kerala governor has promised a thorough review of the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, following concerns raised over its impact on Kannada-speaking linguistic minorities in Kasaragod district.