Amid demands in Tripura for the adoption of Roman script for the tribal Kokborok language, an indigenous literary body has written to Chief Minister Manik Saha, seeking the inclusion of the language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The letter by the Kokborok Sahitya Parishad noted that the language's script can either be Devanagari or Bengali.
The letter, jointly signed by eminent Kokborok writer Naresh Chandra Debbarma and Padma Kumar Debbarma, president and general secretary of the organisation, respectively, highlighted that Kokborok is among the oldest and one of the most widely spoken languages of Tripura's indigenous communities. It holds deep cultural and historical significance and serves as a cornerstone of tribal identity. The Parishad stressed that despite its rich legacy, Kokborok still lacks constitutional recognition, which is essential for its preservation and national-level promotion.
It also emphasised that the Bengali script has been historically used by most Kokborok scholars, forming part of the linguistic tradition of the region.
This recommendation, however, has drawn strong criticism from BJP's ally, Tipra Motha chief and Tripura's royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, who took to social media to express his disappointment. Terming the Parishad's stance as "sad, shocking, and unacceptable," Mr Debbarma said he completely rejects the suggestion.
"As the founder of Tipra Motha, I do not accept this recommendation. The script for Kokborok must be decided by the will of the people, not by so-called intellectuals who don't even have the courage to speak up for the indigenous students," he said.
He further alleged that the Kokborok Sahitya Parishad is playing with the future of the indigenous communities. "I can understand the use of Devanagari, but why push for Bengali script when even Bengali communities are shifting to English and Hindi for better prospects?" he questioned.
While clarifying that he holds no animosity towards the Bengali language, Pradyot asserted the need to keep Roman script as an option for Kokborok, citing its widespread use among several northeastern languages.
Meanwhile, he also revealed that he has spoken with IPFT general secretary Swapna Debbarma regarding the issue and urged the party to clarify its position on the Kokborok script controversy.
With the script debate intensifying, Tripura's tribal political and literary circles are likely to witness further divisions, even as the demand for official recognition of Kokborok continues to grow louder.
On March 21, Twipra Students' Federation (TSF) held a day-long demonstration demanding the adoption of the Roman script for the tribal Kokborok language, and blocked the main VIP road leading to the Agartala Airport, Assembly, Civil Secretariat and High Court.
TSF leader James Debbarma accused the state government of failing to recognise the preference of a large section of the indigenous community, who find Roman script more accessible than the Bengali script currently used in official records and education.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manik Saha has assured that the state government would resolve the Kokborok language script issue soon.
