Overview
- Kerala’s Assembly passed the Malayalam Bhasha Bill, 2025 to make Malayalam the compulsory first language up to Class 10 in government and aided schools, and it is pending the Governor’s assent.
- A Karnataka Border Area Development Authority delegation met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, submitted a petition calling the bill unconstitutional, and said he assured a careful review.
- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly urged Kerala to withdraw the measure, calling it an attack on linguistic freedom, and said his government would oppose it using constitutional means.
- Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said a state delegation will seek an audience with President Droupadi Murmu to raise concerns about the bill’s impact on Kannadigas in Kasaragod.
- While Karnataka officials cite large Kannada-speaking communities and harm to minority-run schools, analyses of the bill point to clauses allowing minority-language study, exam exemptions, bilingual signage, and official correspondence in Kannada in designated areas.