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BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Wednesday welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision to rename Kerala as 'Keralam', stating that it reflects respect for Indian heritage, while slamming the opposition for protesting such changes due to what he called a "slave mentality."
Speaking to ANI, Poonawalla said the decision was taken respecting public sentiments. "Respecting these public sentiments, the Union Cabinet has decided that the name of Kerala will be changed to Keralam," Poonawalla said. The BJP spokesperson emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has consistently demonstrated respect for Indian heritage through various renaming initiatives. "We have seen that ever since PM Modi's government came to power, a clear picture has emerged that we fully respect our Indian heritage. Some people are still suffering from a foreign and slave mentality, that if Kerala is changed to Keralam, they protest, if Rajpath is changed to Kartavyapath, they protest," he said. Taking a dig at those opposing such renaming decisions, Poonawalla said they have become accustomed to slavery and foreign mentality. "They have become accustomed to slavery and foreign mentality," he added. The Union Cabinet's approval to rename Kerala as 'Keralam' follows similar renaming initiatives undertaken by the Modi government, including the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavyapath in New Delhi. The decision has drawn mixed reactions across the political spectrum. While some have praised the decision, some have criticized it as well. BJP leader V Muraleedharan praised the move, stating it indicates the significance of the Malayalam language and that the entire state would like to express gratitude for this historic decision. However, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned the move, highlighting that Kerala already translates to 'Keralam' in Malayalam and criticized the government for focusing on name changes while not providing development projects to the state. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while congratulating Kerala, also reminded the Centre that West Bengal's proposal to rename the state as 'Bangla' has been pending for years, slamming the BJP as "Bangla-birodhi" (opponents of Bangla). Such changes have always been a part of the central government's efforts to reclaim Indian cultural and linguistic identity, though they have often drawn criticism from opposition parties who view them as symbolic gestures rather than substantive governance measures. (ANI)
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