Keralam Rename Debacle: The Linguistic Puzzle and Political Implications
The proposal to rename Kerala as 'Keralam' has sparked a humorous discourse led by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who questioned the linguistic implications for terms like 'Keralite'. The decision, approved by the Union Cabinet, kicks off a constitutional process involving various legal and governmental bodies.
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- India
The Government of India has proposed a constitutional amendment to rename the state of Kerala to 'Keralam', igniting both bureaucratic processes and cultural musings. The decision was spearheaded by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following a resolution by the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor brought a humorous angle to this development, questioning the English terms for Kerala's residents. Playfully suggesting 'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral, Tharoor proposed a linguistic competition to decide new nomenclature.
This proposed name change is not merely a matter of semantics. It involves multiple government departments, including the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Law and Justice, and requires a Bill to be introduced and passed in both the State Legislative Assembly and the Indian Parliament under Article 3 of the Constitution.
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