Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara emphasised the importance of addressing language-related issues in border regions, pointing out that Indian states were formed based on language.
Referring to the Kerala government's proposed Malayalam Language Bill, Parameshwara highlighted that people in border areas, like Kasargod, continue to speak Kannada.
"States have been carved out on the basis of language. The Kerala government has issued a circular ordering priority to be given to the local language (Malayalam). People living in bordering areas, such as Kasargod (Karnataka-Kerala border), still speak Kannada. Both the CMs should resolve this," he said.
The proposed Malayalam Language Bill 2026 mandates Malayalam as the compulsory first language across Kerala. The bill has sparked strong opposition in Karnataka, with leaders from across party lines raising concerns about its impact on Kannada-speaking linguistic minorities in Kasaragod district.
On Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to his Kerala counterpart, Pinarayi Vijayan, expressing serious concern over the proposed bill.
"I write to you in a spirit of mutual respect, cooperative federalism, and shared constitutional responsibility that has long guided the relationship between Karnataka and Kerala, two States bound not merely by geography, but by deep cultural, social, and human ties," Siddaramaiah said in his letter.
Siddaramaiah further emphasised that languages in India thrived not through compulsion, but through mutual respect and organic coexistence.
He pointed to border regions like Kasaragod as living examples of this ethos, where Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu, Beary, and other languages have coexisted harmoniously, shaping everyday life, education, and identity for generations.
Earlier this week, the Karnataka Border Areas Development Authority (KBADA) met Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and submitted a memorandum to him seeking the stalling and reconsideration of the bill.
In a press release, the KBADA alleged that the bill is wholly unconstitutional and is against the interests of the large number of Kannada-speaking linguistic minorities residing in Kasaragod.
Meanwhile, Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal assured that the legislation would not result in discrimination against any section of society.
"I can assure you of one thing: there will be no discrimination against anyone in the state," he said on Friday.
