Peeved at the South African government's decision to phase out Indian languages from the school curriculum, Indian Community leaders have threatened to move the constitutional court and also meet President Thabo Mbeki to register their displeasure.

The National Education Ministry's decision to cull out foreign languages lacking sufficient enrollment means that Indian communities in South Africa who want to promote their mother tongue languages such as Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu and Gujarati will have to find their own funds after 2006.

Indian cultural and language leaders in South Africa have decided to petition an urgent meeting with National Education Minister Professor Kader Asmal to discuss the issue.

Clarifying the government's stand, the minister's advisor, Dr Cassius Lubisi, said in a statement that the issue was not about whether or not a language will be culled, but about the ability of the government to fund the teaching of all foreign languages.

The education ministry would extend support to all communities that wish to offer their respective languages, especially those languages, which are commonly used by the communities, said Lubisi.

The move has come under fire from the Inkatha Freedom Party and media who lambasted it as an insult to the Indian community.