Kokborok vs Bengali script row: TSF threatens to launch agitation

John Debbarma, a senior leader of the tribal student organization, at a press conference held at the Agartala Press Club, on Saturday declared this.

The controversy surrounding the script for Kokborak, which has persisted for over four decades, has taken a new turn as the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) threatened to launch a massive agitation across Tripura, if the Kokborok option was not given to students appearing for CBSE exams.

John Debbarma, a senior leader of the tribal student organization, at a press conference held at the Agartala Press Club, on Saturday declared this.

Debbarma argued that students should have the choice to use the Roman script for Kokborak and demanded its inclusion in CBSE examinations like the Tripura Board of Secondary Examination (TBSE), where students have choice to use either Bengali or Roman script,.

Furthermore, Debbarma emphasized that TSF firmly stands by their demand for the Roman script and that no one should be coerced into using the Bengali script.

He called upon the government to resolve this longstanding issue and advocated for the Borok students’ right to answer in the Roman script up to the university level.

Debbarma alleged that during a peaceful demonstration held in front of the Gandhi statue on Friday, the police resorted to the use of force, resulting in the hospitalization of one of their protesters.

He criticized the authorities for denying them the opportunity to peacefully advocate for their demands.

Kokborak, the most widely spoken language among the indigenous population of Tripura, constitutes approximately 31 percent of the total population of around 4 million.

Although Kokborak received recognition as an official language in 1979, it is still awaiting the adoption of an official script. This issue has divided the Kokborok-speaking community, with some favoring the use of the Bengali script while others advocate for the Roman script.

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