Kokborok language row: TISF calls for indefinite rail, road blockade from Feb 12

The student leaders are also demanding the resignation of TBSE President Gonchowdhury for his flip-flop in the matter

The Kokborok language row in Tripura has escalated to a new high. Amid the prevailing circumstances the Tripura Indigenous Students Federation (TISF) has announced an indefinite rail and road blockade with effect from February 12.

The TISF has decided this after the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE)’s move to revoke its decision to allow students to write the Kokborok examination in English or Bengali.

Briefing newspersons in Agartala this afternoon, TISF president Sajra Debbarma said, “We are going to indefinitely block the roads and rail routes because they are the lifeline for any state. We know that the people will suffer, but the government has to take care of this.”

“We contacted the Board (TBSE) several times and the state government also. Now, its enough for us. We have to block the roads, this is how the state government wants to listen to us,” Debbarma added.

He further maintained that the TISF will not go to the Board and will only seek Chief Minister Manik Saha’s intervention to resolve the issue.

Sajra Debbarma regarding this said, “Now, we do not want to talk to the Board. We went several times earlier and met the TBSE president. But now, we will talk directly to the CM and we want ultimate solution. There is violation of National Education Policy (2020) as well as Right to Freedom of Expression, so we are going for a blockade.”

On the other hand, the Twipra Students Forum (TSF) has issued an ultimatum to TBSE president Dhananjoy Gonchowdhury for allowing the option of answering Kokborok in Bengali and Roman or English script. The TSF has demanded that the TBSE must revoke its present order by tomorrow.

TSF vice president John Debbarma said, “We asked him (Dhananjoy Gonchowdhury) you have told us before that you will be allowing students to write (Kokborok) in Roman script and you will give an official notification. But then you have made a U-turn. Then he said that it is not me, I got a direction from the government. We asked him where is the written order from the government, but he has no proof.”

Just three days after announcing that students would have the choice to answer in either Bengali or Roman script in the Kokborok examination in Tripura, President of the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE), Dr. Dhananjoy Gonchowdhury on Thursday reversed his decision regarding the language preference for examination and said that it would be mandatory to answer Kokborak subjects solely in Bengali script.

The student leaders are also demanding the resignation of TBSE President Gonchowdhury.

Read also: Kokborok in exams: TBSE reverses decision

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