Court says removing Arabic and Mahl from Lakshadweep schools without study or consultation was wrong; activists call it an attack on Muslim identity and culture
NEW DELHI/ERNAKULAM – A major legal and social battle is underway in Lakshadweep after the Kerala High Court halted a controversial order that aimed to remove Arabic and Mahl languages from the school curriculum starting from Class 1. The court’s decision came after public protests and a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ajaz Akbar, a young activist from Kalpeni Island, who said the order was an attack on the cultural identity of the island’s Muslim population.
The May 14 order, issued by the Lakshadweep Director of Education, had directed schools on Minicoy Island to stop offering Arabic and Mahl languages, and replace them with Hindi as the third language, while Malayalam and English remained the first and second. The move triggered strong opposition from local people, students, and rights activists across the islands.
Speaking to Clarion India, Ajaz Akbar, 29, said, “This is not just about a subject. This is about our identity. Arabic and Mahl have been part of our schools and lives for generations. Taking them away without asking anyone is unfair.”
On 9 June, the Kerala High Court, led by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji, put a stay on the Lakshadweep administration’s order. The indigenous people of the islands heaved a huge sigh of relief at the court decision after it held that the decision lacked proper study and consultation with the people it affected.
“No material has been provided to us,” the judges observed, “to show that the decision was made after considering local conditions or cultural impact.”
The court was hearing the PIL filed by Ajaz Akbar, who is also the president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Lakshadweep unit.
The court made it clear that language choices in schools cannot be changed suddenly and without consulting the community. The existing language policy, which allows students to choose Arabic or Mahl as optional third languages, will continue until the final judgment.
The order was met with widespread anger on the islands, especially on Minicoy, where Mahl is the mother tongue of nearly the entire population. Arabic, too, has been taught in schools for decades and is considered sacred by the Muslim majority.
Shameema Abdul, a teacher from Minicoy, said, “I have taught Arabic for more than 15 years. Students love learning it. Why replace it with Hindi, which is not our language, and ignore the language of our religion and culture?”
Demonstrations were held in Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Agatti, and other islands, with people demanding that Arabic and Mahl remain in the curriculum.
Posters reading “Our Language, Our Right” and “Save Arabic, Save Mahl” appeared across Minicoy, and social media was flooded with videos of islanders speaking out.
One of the key points raised in the petition was that the Lakshadweep administration made this decision without any research or public engagement.
The court had earlier asked the administration to prove that it had conducted a survey or a discussion with parents, teachers, or language experts before making the change. But, on 9 June, the administration admitted through its lawyer that no such study had been carried out.
KPS Suresh, the counsel representing Ajaz, argued that the move was arbitrary. “You are taking away people’s language without even asking them. That is not acceptable in a democratic country,” he said.
The court agreed and noted that even though education policy is normally left to experts and governments, that freedom depends on decisions being thoughtful and based on facts. In this case, the judges found no such effort.
The PIL made a strong case for the cultural and religious value of Arabic and Mahl. It stated that Mahl is the only spoken language on Minicoy and has deep links to the local customs and lifestyle.
Arabic, meanwhile, is the language of religious texts for Muslims and is spoken in over 22 countries by at least 330 million people.
Ajaz Akbar said in his petition, “Removing Arabic and Mahl is not just changing the syllabus. It is erasing who we are. For 70 years, these languages were part of our school life. Why change that now?”
He also highlighted that out of 34 schools in Lakshadweep, 26 are affiliated with Kerala SCERT, which still recognises Arabic as a proper subject under the Kerala Education Rules, 1959.
The Lakshadweep administration defended its decision by citing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, saying it supports the Three Language Formula and encourages regional languages.
However, critics say that NEP 2020 also stresses flexibility and respect for local culture, which the administration ignored.
Dr Irfan Ali, a retired educationist from Kavaratti, said, “NEP talks about learning in your own language and promoting Indian languages. But Arabic and Mahl are Indian for us. This policy is being twisted to push Hindi, which we don’t even speak here.”
He added, “For Muslims, Arabic is not just a subject. It is part of our prayer, our faith, our daily life. Removing it sends a message that our identity does not matter.”
The issue has also raised political and religious concerns. Many locals believe the decision is part of a broader pattern where Muslim cultural symbols are slowly being removed or sidelined in the name of national integration.
Fathima Rasheed, a school student in Kalpeni, said, “They want us to learn Hindi, but not what our parents speak. They want us to forget Arabic and Mahl and accept what they give. Why are only Muslims being asked to do this?”
This view was echoed by several Muslim organisations and civil society groups, who called the move a clear example of cultural discrimination.
Mohammed Rashid, a lawyer based in Kochi, said, “When it comes to Muslim identity—be it food, dress, language, or religion—there is a steady effort to change it. We must resist this peacefully but firmly.”
The Kerala High Court has made it clear that before any such change is made, the Lakshadweep administration must conduct a full study, speak to stakeholders, and understand the local conditions.
The court said it was ready to hear a fresh application in the future if the government provides proper reasons. Until then, the existing setup will stay.
Schools under the CBSE board were to start classes with the new rule from 1 July, while others had already begun their academic year on 9 June. The court’s order has now paused the change for both sets of schools.
While the stay order gives temporary relief to the people of Lakshadweep, the final hearing is still pending. Activists and locals hope that the court will permanently stop the attempt to remove Arabic and Mahl from the education system.
For now, the people of Lakshadweep have made their voice heard—loud and clear. They are not ready to lose their language, identity, or history without a fight.
As Ajaz Akbar said outside the court, “We are not against any language. But don’t take away ours. We are part of this country, too.”
