Statewide student protestson Kokborok script in Tripura

Several tribal student organisations, led by the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) and the Tipra Indigenous Students’ Federation (TISF), on Thursday held torch rallies across Tripura to protest Chief Minister Manik Saha’s recent remarks on the script of the Kokborok language.
In the state capital, leaders and supporters of the TSF and TISF took out a rally from Swami Vivekananda Maidan, which passed through various parts of Agartala before culminating in front of the Tripura State Museum. Similar torch rallies were organised in other parts of the state.
The protest was triggered by the Chief Minister’s suggestion that Kokborok speakers should consider adopting an indigenous script instead of the Roman script, stating that it would be beneficial for securing the inclusion of the language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Kokborok is the most widely spoken language among Tripura’s tribal communities. For decades, however, tribal bodies and student outfits have demanded recognition of the Roman script as its official script.
The issue has repeatedly sparked controversy, including during Tripura Board examinations, when disputes arose over the script in which students should answer their papers.
Although such situations were resolved through government intervention, the broader debate over script selection has continued. Following the Chief Minister’s remarks, the Tipra Motha Party strongly criticised his statement, after which student organisations announced the torch rallies.
Addressing the protesters, TSF leader John Debbarma said the community had been denied the right to write its language in a script of its choice for nearly five decades. He alleged that successive governments had failed to deliver justice on the issue and warned that the community would no longer remain silent.
TSF general secretary Hamalu Jamatia said several other student organisations, including those representing the Bru, Kaipeng, and Mizo communities, extended support to the Homchang, or torch, rallies.
The demonstrators reiterated their demand for official recognition of the Roman script for Kokborok and called upon the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with stakeholders to resolve the long-standing issue.
Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman also participated in a torch rally in South Tripura district as part of his poll campaigning for the upcoming TTAADC elections.