‘Will never allow Roman script for Kokborok’: Tripura CM Manik Saha

Agartala, Jan 27: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, on Tuesday, rejected the demand for introducing Roman script for the Kokborok language, spoken by nearly 19 tribes of the state.

Addressing a party programme at Jolaibari in South Tripura, Saha said, "We will never allow Roman script for Kokborok language because it poses a threat to the indigenous traditional and culture. The young generation will completely forget their culture if Roman script is adopted for their language", he said.

Exhorting the tribal intellectuals to discover their own script for the Kokborok language and its proper development, he said the government has not been insisting on Bengali or any other script for the indigenous language.

"If the people belonging to the Chakma tribe can develop their own script, why will the Kokborok-speaking people remain laggards? The young generation is being confused by raising the script issue," he said.

Claiming that only the BJP can develop the lives of indigenous people and their culture and tradition, the Chief Minister said his government has started paying respect to the Manikya Kingdom for building the northeastern state.

"The successors of the Manikya dynasty were confined to their palace during the Communist rule in the state. It was the BJP which started giving respect to the Manikya dynasty. We have nothing to do if someone fails to receive the respect in a proper way", he said.

The Chief Minister’s comment comes in the backdrop of the demand by the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), an ally of the ruling BJP, ahead of the elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

Kokborok is the mother language of most of the 19 tribes of the northeastern state, which account for approximately 14 lakh population.

The Chief Minister said the BJP fought 11 seats in the 28-member tribal council and won nine in the last polls. The present council's tenure is set to be completed on April 18.

In the 2021 elections, the TMP bagged 18 seats and constituted the council. The tribal council covers two-thirds of the geographical area of Tripura.

"Our organisation is very strong in tribal areas. The BJP doesn't infuse 'force' in the electoral process, rather tries to win the hearts of the voters by performance," he said.

PTI