Kokborok Sahitya Parishad reignites the script debate by proposing Bengali or Devanagari script for Kokborok in a letter to Tripura CM. Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarman opposes the move, advocating for Roman script and warning of public backlash. The issue highlights ongoing tensions over indigenous language identity.
The long-standing debate over the script for Kokborok, the indigenous language of Tripura, reignited on Saturday after the Kokborok Sahitya Parishad (KBSP) submitted a formal letter to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha. The literary body urged the state government to recommend the inclusion of Kokborok in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and proposed the adoption of either the Bengali or Devanagari script as the official writing system.
In the letter undersigned by KBSP President Naresh Chandra Debbarma and General Secretary PK Debbarma, the Parishad argued that both Devanagari and Bengali scripts have historical and practical precedence in documenting the Kokborok language. “Most of the Kokborok scholars have been writing Kokborok with Bengali Script,” the letter stated, emphasizing the need to bring an end to the script debate for the sake of academic progress and cultural preservation.
The KBSP noted that constitutional recognition of Kokborok would open new avenues for research and development. It would also empower native speakers to take competitive exams in their mother tongue. “We earnestly request your esteemed office to recommend and advocate for the inclusion of Kokborok in the Eighth Schedule… with any native script preferably with Bengali or Devanagari Script,” the letter appealed.
However, the proposal immediately drew backlash from various quarters, including political, student, and literary groups, particularly those advocating for the Roman script. The issue took center stage on social media after the KBSP’s letter went viral.
Tipra Motha founder and prominent indigenous leader Pradyot Kishore Debbarman was quick to respond, voicing strong opposition to the KBSP’s script recommendation. While he welcomed the demand for inclusion of Kokborok in the Eighth Schedule, Debbarman criticized the push for Bengali or Devanagari script. “The majority of Kokborok speakers prefer the Roman script,” he said during a social media livestream.
Debbarman expressed particular dismay over the suggestion to adopt the Bengali script, stating, “Today, Bengalis are learning English and Hindi to compete in the job market, and we are being compelled to adopt their script. People in general shall never accept it.”
He further stated that Tipra Motha would soon issue a formal statement opposing the KBSP’s proposal.
With linguistic identity and cultural heritage at stake, the renewed debate has once again spotlighted the complex relationship between language, politics, and regional identity in Tripura.
