Roman script controversy on Kokborok Day in Tripura, student activist arrested
Agartala: As many as 40 student activists affiliated with the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) were detained early on Monday morning for creating a ruckus during the Kokborok Day rally in Agartala. The TSF activists, led by general secretary Hamalu Jamatia and vice president John Debbarma, confronted the state government-sponsored rally, raising slogans and displaying placards demanding the adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok.
On the other hand, the government rally was led by BJP MLA Ram Pada Jamatia and former MLA Dr Atul Debbarma. Police said the situation escalated after a group of tribal students raised placards written in Roman script and shouted slogans opposing placards in the Bengali script carried by school students participating in the rally.
As tensions rose and the situation threatened to spiral out of control, police personnel deployed at the spot intervened and detained the agitating students, officials said. The detained students were later taken to the AD Nagar police lines as a preventive measure to restore order.
Reacting to the incident, BJP MLA Ram Pada Jamatia said it was unfortunate that a group of youths attempted to disrupt a rally organised to mark the 48th Kokborok Day. He said the police acted promptly and detained those who were allegedly trying to breach peace during the programme.
Meanwhile, Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma expressed concern over the detention of youths who were protesting against the use of the Bengali script on placards during the Kokborok Day event.
In an audio message, Debbarma said it was inappropriate that placards displayed on the occasion of Kokborok Day were written in the Bengali script at a time when there were demands for a different script for the Kokborok language. He said the youths who raised objections to the move were detained by the police.
“Across the government rally, placards were written in the Bengali script, which is against the genuine sentiments of the tribal people. We want to write our language in a different script. When our students raised objections, they were detained. I feel sad to see that goons and smugglers roam scot-free, but when students try to raise their voice for their rights, they are detained by the police. We want all languages to flourish in Tripura, but no one should impose another script upon us. If this pressure for a different script continues, one day the situation may go out of control,” Debbarma, who is currently in Delhi, said.
It may be noted that Kokborok is the most widely spoken indigenous language of Tripura. Although the language is taught, written, and spoken by a large number of people, a definitive script has yet to be finalised. The debate over the most suitable script intensified further after ruling allies BJP and Tipra Motha found themselves divided on the issue. While the BJP supports the use of an Indian script, Tipra Motha has remained firm in its demand for the Roman script as the official medium for writing Kokborok.
