Agartala, Feb 17: The United Movement Committee for Roman Script (UMCRS) on February 16 renewed its demand for the adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok, bringing the long-pending issue back into focus ahead of the upcoming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).
Addressing a press conference at Manikya Court (North Gate) in Agartala at 6.30 pm, committee leaders detailed the current status of the movement and their expectations. The UMCRS is a joint platform of the Twipra Students’ Federation and the Tipra Indigenous Students’ Federation.
John Debbarma, convenor of the committee, stated that the demand for adopting the Roman script for Kokborok has remained unresolved despite repeated representations over the years. He stressed the need for a permanent policy decision to ensure uniformity in education and administrative usage of the language.
Kokborok, spoken by indigenous communities across Tripura’s 19 tribes, has long been at the centre of a debate over script. Two commissions — constituted in 1990 and 2004 — examined the issue but failed to produce a final resolution. With TTAADC elections approaching, the matter has regained momentum. Members of the Tipra Indigenous Students’ Federation recently organised human chains across several sub-divisional towns and districts to press their demand.
During the press interaction, the committee appealed to media organisations for broader coverage, arguing that greater public awareness and informed discussion are crucial for resolving the issue. Leaders affirmed that they would continue engaging stakeholders while intensifying outreach efforts.
As campaigning gathers pace in the tribal belt, the Roman script demand is expected to remain a key political issue, intersecting with concerns over identity, education policy and cultural preservation in Tripura.
