Language row: Karnataka Border Area Development Authority seeks explicit exclusion of Kannada linguistic minority areas in Malayalam Bhasha bill

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought to allay fears of the Kannada linguistic minority in Kerala about the Malayalam Bhasha Bill 2025, but the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority (KBADA) has criticized the legislation. The KBADA argues that the bill should explicitly exempt linguistic minority areas in Kasaragod district from the mandatory Malayalam first language clause, and remove inherent contradictions to avoid confusion and potential negative impacts on academic performance. They also suggest accelerating the declaration of specific taluks as minority areas under the Bill and securing full benefits of Clause 7, which provides for bilingual signboards and teachers' appointments in Kannada.