A sit-in protest was organized on Wednesday in the North Gate area demanding use of the Roman script for the Kokborok language,. The demonstration was led by the Roman Script for Kokborok Choba, a conglomeration of 56 organizations representing the Kokborok-speaking community.
Bikashrai Debbarma, Chairman of the Roman Script for Kokborok Choba, expressed that the protesters aimed to raise a single demand – the adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok. The event saw the active participation of representatives and members from all 56 organizations, united in their plea for linguistic equality.
The focal point of the protest was the demand for the state government and its concerned authorities to address language discrimination effectively. Debbarma emphasized that the Kokborok language belonged to the people who spoke it and that they should have the autonomy to decide the script that best represents their language.
Highlighting the ‘negligence towards the development of Kokborok’, Debbarma pointed out that despite the Tripura assembly passing a bill in 1979 declaring Kokborok as the official language of the state, no significant steps have been taken to foster its growth. He criticized both past and present governments for their failure to make concrete decisions regarding the choice of script for Kokborok, highlighting the script’s paramount importance to any language.
Debbarma further revealed that during the tenure of the previous CPI-M government, a committee had been formed to explore the matter. The survey report from the committee indicated that a substantial 67.08% majority favored the Roman script for Kokborok. Regrettably, no action has been taken to implement the people’s mandate since 2004, neglecting the wishes of the language’s true stakeholders.
Debbarma stated that if the government fails to address their demand promptly, the protesters would escalate their efforts with an extensive movement in the days to come. The threat of a larger mobilization underscores the determination and urgency of the Kokborok-speaking community to achieve their rightful recognition and preserve their linguistic identity.
