Agartala, Feb 17: The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) has urged Chief Minister Manik Saha to refrain from making what it termed “needless statements” on the contentious Kokborok script issue, asserting that the decision should rest solely with native speakers of the language.
IPFT general secretary Swapan Debbarma said the Chief Minister, whose mother tongue is Bengali, should avoid intervening in a matter that directly concerns the tribal community.
“He should avoid issuing needless statements on this matter. The question of which script suits Kokborok best must be settled by those who use the language in their everyday lives,” Debbarma told reporters.
He described remarks from individuals not properly acquainted with Kokborok as “avoidable interference” and added that it is not necessary for the Chief Minister to comment on every issue.
The comments come amid growing differences within the ruling alliance, particularly between the Tipra Motha Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, over the adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok. Saha has recently opposed the Roman script and argued in favour of developing an indigenous script.
Referring to past political developments, Debbarma cited the decline of the Left Front in tribal-dominated hill areas. “The Left lost its hold in the hilly areas because it resisted the Roman script without offering any valid grounds. The ruling party should therefore remember that political authority does not last forever,” he said.
Debbarma maintained that the Chief Minister’s remarks may reflect a personal view rather than an official government position. “It may simply be the CM’s individual standpoint. While he is entitled to his perspective, neither the BJP nor the government has issued any official policy decision on the script so far,” he stated.
With board examinations scheduled in the coming days, students will continue to have the option of answering Kokborok papers in either Roman or Bengali script, as no formal change has been notified.
