The Significance Of Any Language Cannot Be Manifested By Merely Changing Names.

Thiruvananthapuram; February 2026: BJP leader V Muraleedharan yesterday (24th February 2026) has praised the Union Cabinet’s approval to rename Kerala as ‘Keralam’, stating that it signifies the Malayalam language. “It indicates the significance of the Malayalam language. The government under the PM Narendra Modi has accepted the long-standing demand of the people of Kerala. The entire state of Kerala would like to express its gratitude to the Indian government for this historic decision”, he said.

Earlier yesterday, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to the proposal to change the name of Kerala to Keralam. Briefing reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Kerala Alteration of Name Bill will be sent to the state assembly for its approval. The decision comes ahead of the assembly polls in the state, slated for the first half of this year.

“After approval of the Union Cabinet, the President of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India”, Vaishnaw said.

After receipt of the views of the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala the Centre will take further action and the recommendation of the President will be obtained for the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, for the alteration of the name of the state of ‘Kerala’ as ‘Keralam’ in Parliament.

Meanwhile, in a sharp attack on the Central Government Congress MP Sashi Tharoor has lambasted the BJP Government asserting that, “it has not given an All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), development projects or any new institutions to Kerala, but rather has focused on the renaming of the state. It has already been ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam. So now, a Malayalam word is coming into English. I don’t know what difference it makes. That is what is happening between our Govt at the Centre and Govt in the State”, he said while highlighting hat Kerala already translates to ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam, raising questions on the need to rename the state.

The Legislative Assembly of Kerala passed a resolution in June 2024 to alter the name of the state of “Kerala” to “Keralam”.

Team Maverick.