Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Saturday that the apprehensions raised regarding the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, do not reflect facts or the inclusive spirit of the legislation passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Referring to his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah’s statement that the Bill is “an attack on the freedom of language guaranteed by the Constitution”, Vijayan said the proposed law has provisions to safeguard the rights of linguistic minorities, particularly Kannada- and Tamil-speaking communities.
The Kerala Assembly last October passed the Bill, which stipulates Malayalam as the official language of the state and envisages its use in government services, the judiciary, among other areas. It also calls for establishing a Malayalam language development authority and says Malayalam will be compulsory as the first language in all Kerala syllabus schools. All products sold or manufactured in Kerala should also carry labels in Malayalam.
As the Bill is pending with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the Karnataka Border Areas Development Authority (KBADA) has urged him to reconsider the legislation.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also joined the issue, raising concerns of Kannada-speaking people in Kerala’s Kasaragod district, which borders Karnataka. Siddaramaiah urged Kerala to withdraw the legislation.
“I regret to say that the Kerala government’s proposed Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, which makes it mandatory to learn Malayalam as the first language in Kannada medium schools in Kerala, is an attack on the freedom of language guaranteed by the Constitution,” he posted on X. “If such a law is implemented, the Kannadigas living in the border districts of Kerala, mainly in Kasaragod, will be deprived of the opportunity to learn their mother tongue.”
Allaying Karnataka’s concerns, Vijayan said Saturday on X: “Kerala’s progress has always been rooted in comprehensive development anchored in equality and brotherhood. The government remains steadfast in upholding the constitutional values of secularism and pluralism. The Bill contains a clear and unambiguous non-obstante clause (Clause 7) to safeguard the rights of linguistic minorities, particularly the Kannada and Tamil speaking communities.”
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Key provisions ensure that no language is imposed and linguistic freedom is fully protected, the post said.
“In notified areas, Tamil and Kannada speakers may continue to use their mother tongues for official correspondence with the Secretariat, heads of departments and local offices, with replies issued in the same languages. Students whose mother tongue is not Malayalam are free to choose languages available in schools in accordance with the National Education Curriculum,” it said.
Students from other states or foreign countries are not compelled to appear for Malayalam examinations at the IX, X or higher secondary levels, Vijayan said. “Kerala’s language policy is fully aligned with the Official Languages Act, 1963, and Articles 346 and 347 of the Constitution of India. India’s diversity is to be celebrated, not forced into a single mould. Built on the Kerala Model of participation and transparency, our government resists any erosion of federal rights while remaining equally committed to protecting the linguistic identity of every citizen,” he said.
