Thiruvananthapuram: Pro-Malayalam outfits observed a state-wide hunger strike in Kerala on Wednesday demanding that the state Public Service Commission (PSC) conducts its examinations in the regional language as well.

The agitation saw participation by eminent film director Adoor Gopalakrishnan, poets Sugatha Kumari, V Madhusudanan Nair and former Chief Minister and Congress leader Oomem Chandy among others in Thiruvananthapuram.

"If PSC is against the emotion showed by the people of the state, then that commission must be dissolved. What's the point of having it," Adoor said.

The protestors accused the PSU of neglecting the language despite it being made the administrative language of the state in 2017.

They urged the state government and the PSC to give importance and conduct all its examinations in the native language as well as in English.

In Kochi, renowned poet Balachandran Chullikad and Malayalam language expert Sarasamma Teacher participated in the protest at the famed Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram here.

Addressing the participants, Chullikad said the movement seeking importance for Malayalam would not win with the lone fight by the cultural and literary figures in the state.

Support of the leaders of politics, religions and communities was required to pressure the authorities on the issue, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)