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Classical language status: Kerala to lay claim

M.A. Baby

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stung by the Central government’s decision to leave out Malayalam while according ‘classical language’ status to various south Indian languages, the Kerala government has decided to approach the Centre with a ‘statement of facts’ that puts forward the language’s claim to be considered on a par with Kannada and Telugu, which got the coveted ‘classical’ status recently.

Education and Cultural Affairs Minister M.A. Baby told The Hindu over telephone from Kochi on Sunday that the government had requested poet O.N.V. Kurup to prepare a ‘statement of facts’ showing how Malayalam is eminently qualified to be accorded the ‘classical’ status along with Kannada and Telugu.

The report, prepared in consultation with writers and linguists, was ready and his information was that it had a persuasive argument about how Malayalam qualified for ‘classical’ status historically, linguistically and in terms of literary merit, Mr. Baby said.

O.N.V. Kurup

“We have nothing against Kannada and Telugu being given classical status. Our only plea is that Malayalam should also be treated on a par with these languages. And our endeavour is to impress upon the Centre, Malayalam’s claims to be declared a classical language. We are extremely happy that our Governor R.S. Gavai, who is a non-Malayali, could understand our sentiments and declare openly that he would take up the issue with the Centre,” Mr. Baby said.

Mr. Gavai had come up with the declaration while inaugurating a young writers’ workshop here recently, in response to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan’s expression of dismay at the exclusion of Malayalam. The Chief Minister himself was reflecting the growing tide of opinion among writers and scholars in Kerala against the Centre’s decision.

Eminent persons like jurist V.R. Krishna Iyer, litterateur Sukumar Azhikode and poet K. Satchidanandan have openly questioned the wisdom of the government taking upon itself the task of classifying certain languages as ‘classical’ and creating unhealthy hierarchies among languages. Such measures, Mr. Iyer had said, would only help foment ‘linguistic fanaticism.’

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