Tripura: Massive protest demanding Roman Script for Kokborok language

‘Roman Script For Kokborok Choba’ – a conglomeration of 56 organizations has June 7 sat in a demonstration demanding ‘Roman Script’ for the Kokborok language. 

They also threatened to launch an ‘aggressive’ movement if the government failed to fulfil the demand.

"Kokborok, the lingua franca of the indigenous community of Tripura, is spoken by nearly one-third of the state's population.

Today the members of the organization have sat on a demonstration at Agartala demanding ‘Roman Script’ for the Kokborok language.

Speaking on the matter, former minister and TIPRA Motha leader Mevar Kumar Jamatia claimed that the previous government and also the incumbent BJP government is playing politics with the Kokborok language.

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“Since the last 50 years, the indigenous people of Tripura have been demanding for the Roman script for Kokborok. Language is a sentimental issue and demanding the Roman script we have sat on a protest. During the erstwhile Left Front government in Tripura, a commission was formed named ‘Bhasa Commission’. The commission’s report has suggested that more than 80 per cent of indigenous people want Roman scripts of the Kokborok language. After knowing this entire thing, the then-left government didn’t implement it which is very unfortunate. This is not our report but a report of government”, said Mevar.

Mevar further threatened to launch an aggressive movement in the very near future if the government failed to fulfil their demand.

“However the government is not accepting their own report which is a matter of shame. It’s enough. They are playing politics with our language Kokborok. Mass people are contemplating arranging an aggressive movement in the very near future. We have waited for a long time. The previous government even the incumbent BJP government is also playing politics with our language”, he added.