Tripura CM Manik Saha rejects Roman script demand for Kokborok language

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday rejected the demand to introduce the Roman script for Kokborok, reigniting a decades-old debate over the script to be used for the indigenous language of Tripura's tribal communities.

The Kokborok language, spoken by nearly 14 lakh people belonging to 19 indigenous communities of the state, has long been at the centre of a linguistic and political controversy. For years, TMP, Tipra Motha Party, and its various wings, such as TISF (Tipra Indigenous Student Federation) and TSF (Twipra Student Federation), along with a few allied wings of TMP, have demanded the adoption of the Roman script, arguing that it would make education more accessible for indigenous students.

 

The issue has gained fresh momentum ahead of the upcoming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), with differences emerging between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Tipra Motha Party. While Tipra Motha and allied student bodies such as the Tipra Student Federation (TSF) have strongly advocated for the Roman script, the state government has maintained its opposition.

Speaking exclusively to ANI amidst the state-wide protest for Roman Script, the Chief Minister Saha asserted that adopting a "foreign script" could pose a threat to indigenous identity and traditional culture. He reiterated that the government does not support the Roman script for Kokborok and has instead emphasised alternatives such as Devanagari or the development of a new script.

"You say we need to protect our culture, trasdition than what's the need to bring Roman script. Our government is not against englisg but why do you need Roman script ifor Kokborok language? Take Devnagari," he said.

Student organisations have also raised concerns about academic challenges. Board examinations conducted by the Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are currently held in Bengali script for Kokborok, which many indigenous students reportedly find difficult. The TSF has warned of protests if the Roman script is not introduced to ease examination-related difficulties.

The script issue is not new. Two separate commissions were constituted in 1990 and 2004 to examine the matter, but a permanent resolution remains elusive. As political temperatures rise in the state, the Kokborok script controversy continues to be a sensitive and significant issue, reflecting broader debates over identity, education, and cultural preservation in Tripura.