The people of Minicoy have protested against the Lakshadweep government's decision to stop teaching Dhivehi and Arabic in schools.
Videos and photos on social media show that a large number of people took part in the protest. They want Dhivehi and Arabic to be part of the curriculum.
Schools in Minicoy closed on March 29 and Dhivehi and Arabic were removed from the curriculum without discussing with parents, school management and teachers.
Member of the Lok Sabha or lower house of parliament representing Lakshadweep, Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed has also sent a letter of concern to the Lakshadweep Administrator.
The letter stated that Dhivehi and Arabic are linked to the culture and ethnicity of the people of Minicoy. He added that Arabic plays an important role in teaching religious matters and Dhivehi is the native language of Minicoy, spoken by their ancestors.
He stated that the decision was also against Indian laws.
Historians say Minicoy was formerly an atoll of the Maldives. The late Ibrahim Lutfi, who studied Maldivian history, wrote that Minicoy was one of the atolls of the Maldives until the assumption of power by King Kalhu Mohammed.
It is believed that Maldives lost control over Minicoy in the 1500s when King Kalhu Mohamed sought the help of Ali Raja of India to regain power after his downfall.
However, during the reign of King Iskandhar, Minicoy was brought back under Maldives' rule. This was in 1649.
Historians say that Maldives lost control over Minicoy for a second time in 1752 during the reign of Koru Bandaarain following an attack by India.
Official documents from the reign of Iskandhar to the reign of Koru Bandaarain describe the territory of Maldives as "Maliku-Addu."
Minicoy or Maliku was officially declared part of India in a secret ballot after India's independence. However, many people in Minicoy from that time do not recall such a vote.
The official language spoken in Minicoy is Dhivehi or Mahal. The people of Minicoy also write using the Thaana letters used by Maldivians.
