Agartala, January 19: The long-standing demand for official recognition of the Roman script for the Kokborok language resurfaced prominently during the 48th Kokborok Day celebrations in Agartala on Monday, as large-scale protests by indigenous student groups briefly disrupted the cultural programme and pushed the issue back into the political spotlight ahead of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections.
Hundreds of students, both tribal and non-tribal, participated in a colourful rally from the Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan area to mark Kokborok Day, which commemorates the recognition of Kokborok as an official language of Tripura 48 years ago. However, the event soon took a political turn when activists of the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) and Tribal Indigenous Students’ Federation (TISF) joined the procession, raising slogans and displaying placards demanding official recognition of the Roman script alongside the Bengali script.
Police initially attempted to stop the protesters, but the march continued. Near the Congress Bhavan area, additional forces from West Agartala Police Station were deployed to cordon off the demonstrators as slogans grew louder. Despite restrictions, the main rally proceeded, with several participants breaking away to join the protest in solidarity.
Addressing reporters, student leaders clarified that they were not opposed to the Bengali script, which already has official status for Kokborok, but were seeking equal recognition of the Roman script, describing it as a demand that has persisted for over five decades among a large section of Kokborok speakers. They argued that the lack of recognition has caused inconsistencies in education and examinations, affecting students across different school boards.
The protest triggered sharp political reactions. Former minister and BJP MLA Rampada Jamatia, who participated in the rally along with former BJP MLA Atul Debbarma, alleged that the Roman script demand was part of a “foreign conspiracy.” He claimed the long-running script dispute would soon be resolved through the introduction of a new indigenous script for Kokborok.
Earlier, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha had ruled out the adoption of any foreign script for Kokborok and urged Kokborok-speaking intellectuals to develop an indigenous alternative. His remarks had drawn strong protests from TIPRA Motha, the BJP’s key ally, exposing visible differences within the ruling coalition.
Traditionally centred on cultural expression, this year’s Kokborok Day once again highlighted how the script issue remains deeply intertwined with indigenous identity and electoral politics in Tripura. With the TTAADC elections expected within the next two months and tensions evident between the BJP and TIPRA Motha, the Kokborok script debate—particularly the demand for Roman script recognition—is widely expected to emerge as one of the most emotive and decisive issues in the upcoming polls.
