Shashi Tharoor questions relevance of name change to Keralam; "Let's continue with Malayali and Mallu," John Brittas replies to X post

NEW DELHI: Shashi Tharoor MP has criticised the government's move to change the name of the state from 'Kerala' to 'Keralam'. Tharoor alleged that the government is focusing on renaming without leading the projects needed by the state. Shashi Tharoor said that when Kerala is written in English and translated into Malayalam, it already comes out as Keralam and asked what difference does renaming make in this situation.

The Govt has not given us an AIIMS, has not given us any new institutions...they have given us no projects in the Union Budget. But when it comes to a name change, they are willing to authorise it. That is what is happening between our Govt at the Centre and Govt in the State'- Tharoor said.

Tharoor had asked the other day what would happen to English terms like “Keralite” and “Keralan” for the denizens of the new “Keralam”. He wrote in an X-post that “Keralamite” sounds like a microbe and “Keralamian” like a rare earth mineral.

Meanwhile, John Brittas MP came forward with a response to Tharoor. John Brittas MP said that the name change will not create any identity problem for Kerala.

'Andhra people are called Telugus, Tamil Nadu people are called Tamils ​​and Bengalis are called Bengalis. None of them has been worried and coined the word Teluguite. So if the word Keralam is motivating you to coin new words, then you can do it. Let's continue with Malayali and Mallu, which other Malayalis have been doing for decades,' Brittas said.