‘Kasaragod belongs emotionally to Karnataka’: CM Siddaramaiah opposes Kerala bill enforcing Malayalam in border district schools

BENGALURU: Strains in Karnataka-Kerala relations resurfaced Thursday after Karnataka govt objected to the Malayalam Bhasha Bill, 2025, which seeks to make Malayalam a compulsory first language from Classes 1 to 10 in all govt and private schools, including in Kannada-medium schools, urging governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar to withhold assent.

Karnataka has called the bill unconstitutional and against the interests of the Kannada-speaking minority in Kerala, particularly in the border district of Kasaragod.




CM Siddaramaiah said the move amounts to an attack on linguistic freedom guaranteed under the Constitution and warned it would deprive Kannadigas in Kasaragod of learning in their mother tongue. He said this was "not expected from the Communist govt" in Kerala.

Highlighting cultural ties, he said, "Kasaragod may be administratively part of Kerala today, but emotionally it belongs to Karnataka." tnn

CM urges Kerala govt to withdraw bill

The CM said: "The people are deeply connected with Kannada language, culture and literature. They are no less Kannadigas than those living in Karnataka. Protecting their interests is the duty of our govt."

He added that citizens have a right to study in their mother tongue and urged Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw the Bill. "No language stands in opposition to another. India is the cradle of multiple languages, cultures and religions. Any attempt to harm this pluralistic environment is dangerous," he said. Karnataka Border Areas Development Authority, which met Arlekar Wednesday, said the governor has promised a thorough review of the bill and the interests of Kannadigas in Kasaragod would be safeguarded.

It pointed out that a similar bill was rejected by the president in 2017 and noted that the Union ministry of minority affairs has repeatedly advised Kerala to protect the interests of linguistic minorities.

According to the Kannada authority, constitutional provisions mandate appointment of Kannada teachers in Kannada-medium schools, installation of Kannada signboards at police stations, railway stations and national highways in Kasaragod, use of Kannada in official correspondence in public offices and recruitment based on the local linguistic-minority population.

Referring to constitutional safeguards, the CM cited Articles 29, 30, 350(A) and 350(B), stressing, "No government should attempt to curtail the linguistic freedom of minorities. However, imposing one language over another is unacceptable." Warning of resistance, he said, "We will stand with the Kannadigas of Kasaragod and extend all possible support to protect their linguistic freedom."

The language row comes close on the heels of the Kogilu Layout demolition in Bengaluru, which triggered tensions between Karnataka and Kerala leaders. Vijayan had described the demolition as a brutal normalisation of bulldozer raj, prompting sharp reactions from Karnataka.

Karnataka also flagged Section 2(6) of the Bill, which makes Malayalam compulsory up to class 10 in all govt and aided schools, warning, "If the bill is accepted, Kannada students may have to forcibly learn Malayalam though they do not know Malayalam."