Agartala, Jan 13: Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma has urged Tripura’s Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman to intervene and ensure that January 19, the officially recognised Kokborok Day, is included in the proposed 48th Kokborok Sal–2026 celebrations.
In a letter to the minister, Debbarma pointed out that the state government has scheduled the celebrations from January 9 to January 17, excluding January 19, which is traditionally observed every year as Kokborok Day. He said the omission has caused widespread dissatisfaction among Kokborok-speaking tribal communities across the state.
Terming the decision unacceptable, Debbarma said the exclusion of the most historically significant day has deeply hurt the sentiments of indigenous people. He questioned the rationale behind planning a seven-day programme while leaving out Kokborok Day itself, stressing that Kokborok is not merely a language but an identity and the cultural foundation of Tripura’s indigenous population.
Warning that such an omission could further aggravate long-standing grievances among tribal communities, the Tipra Motha legislator demanded that January 19 be included in the official programme without exception. He said doing so would reflect respect for the Kokborok language and help preserve cultural dignity and social harmony in the state.
Debbarma appealed to the Higher Education Minister to reconsider the schedule and take immediate steps to include Kokborok Day in the celebrations.
