THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shashi Tharoor, former diplomat, prolific author, and Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram since 2009, has penned a stinging critique in his NDTV column, ‘The Tharoor Thread’, regarding the official renaming of the state to “Keralam.”
In his latest feature, Tharoor argues that the addition of the consonant ‘m’ is a “masterclass in the art of the otiose.” He contends that while the hallowed halls of the Union Cabinet should be grappling with global economic stutters or maritime security, they have instead reached a decision of “earth-shattering insignificance” by acceding to the state’s request for a name change.
Tharoor highlights that this “politics of symbolism” serves as a convenient distraction from substantive demands like the long-pending AIIMS or the existential threat of coastal erosion. He points out a historical irony: the term “Kerala” actually predates “Keralam” by several centuries, suggesting the move is rooted in “historical amnesia” rather than true decolonial liberation.
The MP also mocks the phonetic nightmare the change creates in English, wondering if citizens will now be termed “Keralamites” or “Keralamians”—terms he finds more suited to intestinal microbes or rare minerals than proud citizens. He concludes that the rare consensus between the Left government in the state and the Right-wing Centre is a “political placebo”—a cheap win for both sides ahead of the April elections that changes the map but fails to change the reality on the ground. (NDTV)
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