Social media storm over politicians’ English proficiency triggers debate in Kerala

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Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP A. A. Rahim speaks successful  Rajya Sabha (file)

Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP A. A. Rahim speaks successful Rajya Sabha (file) | Photo Credit: ANI

A warfare of words has erupted connected societal media successful Kerala implicit the English connection proficiency of governmental leaders, aft memes connected Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) nationalist president and Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim’s English wound during his sojourn to Kogilu Layout successful Bengaluru, wherever a fewer 100 allegedly amerciable structures were demolished, went viral.

The contention escalated to the constituent that Mr. Rahim publically admitted his request to amended his connection skills, portion stressing that what mattered much was his enactment of empathising with the displaced.

Ministers specified arsenic V. Sivankutty besides came to his support, posting connected societal media that actions substance much than words. The governmental conflict has seen aged video clips of Parliamentary debates featuring leaders specified arsenic the precocious Congress stalwart K. Karunakaran and Indian Union Muslim League person P.K. Kunhalikutty resurfacing online to bolster opposing arguments.

Akin to assemblage shaming: Karassery

Social professional M.N. Karassery remarked that portion radical whitethorn hold oregon disagree with Mr. Rahim’s statements, mocking his connection misses the point. “Former Prime Minister and multilinguist Jawaharlal Nehru utilized to cautiously perceive to Opposition Leader A.K. Gopalan’s speeches successful Parliament contempt his constricted proficiency successful English. When idiosyncratic mocked Mr. Gopalan’s ‘broken English,’ Nehru retorted that what helium had to accidental was not broken. Making amusive of someone’s connection is akin to assemblage shaming. The full statement seems similar an effort to deflect attraction from the existent issue, which is the displacement of people,” helium said.

Academic and writer J. Devika expressed dismay astatine the connection statement connected a time erstwhile socially conscious citizens were anxious astir the Supreme Court’s stance connected the Aravalli Hills and bail for the Unnao rape lawsuit accused.

“I cannot fathom the Malayali authorities of mind. We person had extended discussions successful Kerala astir the value of English, and it has mostly been accepted that 1 request not beryllium obsessed with pursuing the Queen’s English. So wherefore rise this now? While I wholly disagree with Rahim’s politics, the question is whether his deficiency of proficiency successful English makes what helium has to accidental immoderate little important,” she said.

Author and English prof Manu Remakant, who hosts the fashionable online programme Cup of Kavitha introducing English poetry, argued that determination is thing incorrect with making sincere efforts to amended connection skills erstwhile 1 has entree to a amended platform.

“If you person the passionateness and tendency to survey and contiguous things better, past determination volition beryllium a sincere effort to improve. That effort to amended seems to beryllium missing. For instance, our MPs successful Delhi would payment from improving their proficiency successful Hindi. While memes mocking connection shortcomings are disheartening, 1 should not bask successful victimhood. Respect for a connection is essential,” helium said.

Published - December 30, 2025 12:33 p.m. IST

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