Tripura makes using tribal language on signboards mandatory

The Tripura government has made it mandatory to display the tribal name and language on signboards, name plates and other notice boards in all government buildings, an official said here on Sunday.

"We have recently issued notification making it compulsory that tribal name and languages must be displayed on the signboards, name plates and other notice boards in all state government, semi-government, autonomous bodies and educational institutions in and outside the state," the state's Kokborok and Minority Language Department Director Subal Debbarma told IANS.

He said that a high powered committee has been formed to supervise the work of writing tribal name and "Kokboroka language".

Following the Tripura government's persistent demand, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry has been making flight information announcements at Agartala airport in tribal "Kokborok" language in addition to Hindi, English and Bengali.

Tribals constitute a third of Tripura's 3.7 million people. Of the state's 1,166,813 tribals, over 60 per cent communicate in Kokborok language, which is also an official language of the state since January 1979.

Veteran tribal leader and Communist Party of India-Marxist Lok Sabha member, Jitendra Chaudhary, said that the state government has been demanding inclusion of Kokborok language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

The Borok or tribal Tripuris live not only in Tripura but also in other northeastern states, Uttarakhand and neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan comprising about 1.5 million in number, he said.

Chaudhary, who is also the Deputy Chief Whip of the Left party in parliament and a former Tripura Minister, said the state government had set up a separate directorate for development of the Kokborok and other minority languages.

Kokborok is being taught now in schools and colleges in Tripura as one of the language subjects up to degree level and Tripura (Central) University has also introduced a short-term course in Kokborok.

--IANS

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