Agartala: A strike called by the Twipra Students Federation demanding official approval for adopting Roman Script as a medium of writing the Kokborok language has sparked fresh tension between ruling coalition partners—BJP and Tipra Motha Party.
The strike was called after students appearing for Board exams were not provided with question papers framed in Roman Script. The students’ outfit also alleged that as per the previous commitment, the invigilators in exam venues didn’t help the students figure out the questions written in Bengali script as well.
Tipra Motha Party founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Friday extended his full support to the strike called by the Twipra Students Federation and asserted that no political alliance for him was more important than the interest of the community.
Debbarman went to one of the protest sites where activists of the TSF blockaded the VIP road at Agartala and extended his full support towards the script demand.
“No party can be bigger than the community’s interest; we want to write our language in a script which is convenient for our children. Nothing should be forced upon us. No alliance is bigger than the interest of people. We want a lasting solution to this script debate,” Debbarman told media persons.
Expressing his anguish over the issue, Debbarman said, “Just because the questions are framed in Bengali script, many students had to submit their papers blank. If they fail, their future is spoiled. People sometimes make drastic decisions in frustration and then they will be branded as militants. So, the genuine demands of the students should be met with priority.”
MLA from Tipra Motha Party, Ranjit Debbarma raised the issue during the zero hour of the assembly session. He sought a response from the Chief Minister. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma also urged the Chief Minister to consider the genuine concerns of the Kokborok-speaking community and take the necessary steps.
In his response, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said, “This issue has been discussed at various levels for the last several years. As such, we don’t have any reservations, but there are certain issues which we should keep in mind. The script issue is one of the important components of the tripartite agreement signed recently. Apart from that, according to the Government of India, a language with a foreign script can’t be included in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution. So even if the Roman script is finalized, the same problem may further arise during the inclusion of the 8th schedule.”
The Chief Minister further suggested that the Kokborok-speaking community should also consider other options such as research and development on their own indigenous script. “If the script is indigenous, it will be easier to be included in the 8th schedule,” Dr Saha said, reiterating that the government had no hard and fast biases against the Roman Script.
He also mentioned that out of 1,412 board aspirants 1,339 students had attempted their CBSE board exams.
Shortly after the Chief Minister’s statement in the state assembly, Debbarman took to social media and said that if required the Kokborok-speaking community in Tripura would follow the footsteps of Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
“Looks like we will have to look at Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland Model where despite the local languages not being included in the 8th schedule, the boys and girls can write and read their language and sit in examinations in Roman script. Why? Because it’s a ‘State’ Subject those states have made a clear decision. National parties which are based in Tripura should make their stance clear on what subject they want Tiprasa students to read and write. A) Bangla B) Devanagari C) Roman,” said Debbarman.
He also urged the tribal wings of national political parties to put pressure on their parties.
“Let the JanJati Morcha/ST Cell /GMP put pressure on their parties because it’s also about their children’s future. Finally, Let’s stay united and if we speak out in one voice we will become a factor. They will have to agree if they want votes from the Tiprasa people in 2026/2028. I speak this as a Tiprasa and not the founder of Tipra Motha Party- Nothing will be achieved if we don’t put our Jati’s interest above politics,” his social media post concluded.
It should be noted here that Traffic on national highways and parts of the railway network in Tripura came to a standstill as the Twipra Students Federation (TSF) staged blockades across the state. The NESO-affiliated students’ body called for a state-wide strike demanding official recognition of the Roman script for Kokborok, the second most widely spoken language in Tripura and the mother tongue of the majority of the tribal communities.
TSF raised four key demands: implementation of the Roman script in all educational institutions for Kokborok, government recognition of the script, postponement of board exams scheduled for March 21 with question papers in Roman script, and scrapping of policies mandating the Bengali script.
The body criticized the Tripura Board for framing Kokborok question papers in Bengali, calling it unfair for students from English-medium schools who have learned the language in Roman script.
TSF General Secretary Hamalu Jamatia stated that protests, including railway blockades in Jolaibari, South Tripura, would continue until the government initiates talks. In West Tripura, blockades were reported in seven locations.
Noted Kokborok author Choba Bikashrai Debbarma urged Chief Minister Manik Saha to amend the official language act and recognise the Roman script.
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