CPI welcomes renaming of Kerala, calls it intrinsic to the Malayalam

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday congratulated the “people of Keralam” as the Union Cabinet accepted the proposal to officially rename the State of Kerala.

In a statement, the CPI said the decision represented the “culmination of a longstanding and democratic demand of the people of Kerala, rooted in the state’s linguistic heritage and collective self-respect.”

“The name Keralam is intrinsic to the Malayalam language and reflects the civilisational continuity and cultural identity of the region. Correcting this colonial-era anglicisation is an affirmation of India’s multilingual and federal character,” the Left party said.

It said the Kerala Legislative Assembly had unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in June 2024, urging the Union Government to effect this change.

“This resolution was the expression of a broad political and social consensus within the state, cutting across sections and reflecting the popular will of the people,” it said.

“The Party places on record the consistent and principled efforts of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which spearheaded this demand both within the state and at the national level.

The LDF Government’s initiative in formally moving the Assembly resolution and pursuing the matter with the Union Government demonstrates its commitment to safeguarding Kerala’s linguistic and cultural identity within the constitutional framework,” the statement read.

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal of the Kerala Government to change the name of the state to Keralam, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its first meeting at Seva Teerth, the new PMO complex.