A significant disagreement has surfaced in Tripura between Chief Minister Manik Saha and Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman regarding the appropriate script for Kokborok, the language of the state's tribal community. The debate centers on whether the Roman script should be officially adopted for the language.
The Chief Minister's Stance and the Spark of Controversy
The controversy ignited after Chief Minister Manik Saha addressed a rally organized by the BJP's tribal wing. He publicly opposed the use of what he termed 'foreign scripts' like the Roman script for teaching Kokborok. Saha suggested that if there are issues with the existing scripts, the Devanagari script could be considered as an alternative. This statement immediately drew strong reactions from tribal leaders and language activists.
Tipra Motha's Forceful Rebuttal
Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, the prominent founder of Tipra Motha, expressed clear dissatisfaction with the Chief Minister's position. He emphasized that the Tiprasa community is fully capable of deciding the most suitable script for their own language without any external interference or imposition. Pradyot provided historical context, noting that the demand for the Roman script is not new but dates back to the 1970s. He claimed it has received overwhelming support from Kokborok speakers over the decades.
He further argued that many contributors to Kokborok literature have endorsed the Roman script, and a majority of contemporary publications in the language are already written in it. This, according to him, reflects the practical choice of the people.
Government Efforts Questioned
Adding weight to the argument, Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma pointed out a perceived contradiction. While the state government maintains a department dedicated to Kokborok and other minority languages, its actions do not seem to reflect a genuine effort to develop or standardize an indigenous script. Debbarma asserted that the widespread consensus among Kokborok speakers clearly favors the Roman script. He criticized new proposals, like the suggestion of Devanagari, as unnecessary hurdles that only delay meeting this longstanding and popular demand of the tribal community.
The dispute highlights a deeper tension over cultural autonomy and linguistic identity in Tripura. It pits the state government's perspective against the asserted right of the tribal community to make decisions about the preservation and propagation of their native language. The outcome of this debate could have significant implications for Kokborok education and literature in the future.
