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KeralaKarnataka Row Deepens Over Malayalam Bill After Vijayan’s Defense and Siddaramaiah’s Warning

Kerala leaders point to Clause 7 as protecting linguistic minorities, including exam exemptions for out-of-state students.

Overview

  • The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 was passed by the Kerala Assembly and awaits Governor Rajendra Arlekar’s assent.
  • Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the law avoids any imposition and cited a non‑obstante Clause 7 that safeguards minority language rights.
  • Vijayan highlighted provisions allowing official correspondence in minority mother tongues and permitting replies in the same languages.
  • Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called the measure coercive and said Karnataka will fight it if approved, including by approaching the Union government and the President.
  • Kerala minister M.B. Rajesh accused Siddaramaiah of spreading misinformation, while Aikya Malayala Prasthanam defended the Bill and contrasted it with Karnataka’s more compulsory Kannada statutes.