Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor raised a 'witty' question after the Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal of the Kerala government to change the name of the state to Keralam.
The Cabinet took the decision at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the assembly elections in the state, which are due in April this year. The tenure of the 140-member current assembly ending on May 23.
"All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms “Keralite” and “Keralan” for the denizens of the new “Keralam”? “Keralamite” sounds like a microbe and “Keralamian” like a rare earth mineral…!," said Tharoor.
The Congress MP also stated that the CMO might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal.
Prime Minister Modi hailed the Cabinet decision, saying it reflects the will of the people of the state.
"It is in line with our efforts to strengthen the connect with our glorious culture," he said in a post on X.
On June 24, 2024, the Legislative Assembly of Kerala had passed a resolution to alter the name of Kerala to Keralam'.
Thereafter, the state government requested Government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of State of ‘Kerala' as ‘Keralam' as per article 3 of the Constitution.
"The matter regarding alteration of name of State of ‘Kerala' as ‘Keralam' was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and with the approval of Shri Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs and the Union Minister of Cooperation, the draft Note for the Cabinet for the alteration of name of State of ‘Kerala' as ‘Keralam' was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments. The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of name of State of ‘Kerala' as ‘Keralam'," said the 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.
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