A major dispute has erupted between Kerala and Karnataka over the Kerala government’s proposed Malayalam language law. At the heart of the controversy is the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, which mandates Malayalam as the first language from Classes 1 to 10 in all government and private Kannada-medium schools in Kerala’s Kasaragod district.
The proposed legislation drew sharp criticism from the Karnataka Border Areas Development Authority (KBADA), which contends that the decision disproportionately affects Kannada-speaking families living in the border district.
In a press release, KBADA said, “The bill proposed by the Kerala government is wholly unconstitutional and is against the interests of the large number of Kannada-speaking linguistic minorities residing in Kasaragod district of Kerala.”
Recently, a KBADA delegation met Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and handed a memorandum, which sought the suspension of the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025. KBADA further requested a comprehensive review of the legislation in question. The Governor, meanwhile, assured KBADA that any decision regarding the language bill will be taken after careful examination.
KBADA further stated that the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, violates the rights of linguistic minorities protected under the Constitution.
