No Official Script for Kokborok Yet: Congress MLA Urges TIPRA Motha to Quit BJP Alliance
Senior Congress leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman has launched a scathing attack on both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally TIPRA Motha, accusing them of failing to fulfill the long-standing demand of Tripura’s indigenous communities regarding the official script for the Kokborok language.
Addressing a press conference at the State Congress headquarters in Agartala on Thursday, Roy Barman revealed details from a recent meeting convened by the Directorate of Kokborok and Other Minority Languages held on March 3, 2025, which discussed syllabus restructuring and textbook development for Classes IX to XII.
According to Roy Barman, the minutes of the meeting contained a directive stating that all Kokborok textbooks must now be published in an “officially approved script.” However, he pointed out that no such script has been officially adopted to date—a situation he described as both ambiguous and unjust.
“This directive exposes the hypocrisy of the BJP government. Despite repeated appeals and protests by indigenous communities in favor of the Roman script, the government continues to stall on the issue,” said the Congress MLA.
BJP Accused of Ignoring Indigenous Voices
Roy Barman strongly criticized the state BJP government, claiming it has consistently ignored the aspirations of Kokborok-speaking indigenous people by pushing for the use of the Bengali script in official and educational contexts—despite overwhelming public support for the Roman script.
“The preference for Bengali script is not only tone-deaf but deeply disrespectful to the cultural identity of the Tiprasa people,” he stated.
TIPRA Motha Under Fire: ‘Withdraw from the Alliance’
In a direct message to TIPRA Motha, the Congress leader demanded that the party immediately pull out of its alliance with the BJP if it is truly committed to the cause of the indigenous population.
“TIPRA Motha has no moral right to remain in alliance with the BJP after this clear evidence from the March 3 meeting. If they are sincere, they should quit the alliance,” Roy Barman said.
He also criticized TIPRA Motha’s supremo, Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman, accusing him of misleading the indigenous community.
“The party leader must stop manipulating the emotions of the people. The Tiprasa deserve transparency, not political games,” Roy Barman added.
Student Movements and Calls for Unity
Roy Barman also reached out to student bodies, including TIPRA Motha’s own student wing, urging them to pressure their leadership to take a definitive stand.
“Students have been at the forefront of the demand for Roman script. It’s time they hold their leaders accountable,” he said.
He called for a united front of like-minded parties and organizations to push for the recognition and implementation of the Roman script for Kokborok, which is widely used informally among Tripura’s indigenous youth and online communities.
Background: The Kokborok Script Debate
Kokborok is the principal language spoken by the indigenous communities of Tripura, and over the years, there has been an intense debate over which script—Roman or Bengali—should be officially adopted for its use in education and governance.
While the Bengali script has been historically used in textbooks and administrative documents, a significant section of the indigenous population has campaigned for the Roman script, citing ease of use, cultural preservation, and greater accessibility.
The issue has grown into a politically sensitive topic in Tripura, influencing electoral narratives, public protests, and community mobilization—especially among younger generations and student organizations.
