Tripura is witnessing a renewed push for the adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok/Kau Bru, with Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya DebBarma and other elected tribal representatives formally urging the state government to take a decisive stance on the matter.
Documents reveal that a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Manik Saha by elected members of the Tripura Legislative Assembly (TLA) and the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) calls for official recognition of the Roman script for Kokborok/Kau Bru. The memorandum, led by Pradyot Kishore Manikya, Chairman of the TTAADC Administrative Reform Committee, has been signed by several ministers, MLAs, and tribal representatives.
The memorandum argues that the continued use of multiple scripts has slowed the development and wider acceptance of Kokborok, impacting education, administration, and the empowerment of its speakers. It states that recognition of the Roman script is constitutionally permissible, warning that denial could violate Articles 14, 29(1), and 350A of the Constitution, as well as provisions under the Sixth Schedule. It emphasizes that the Tripura government has the authority to recognize and facilitate the Roman script through executive or policy measures.
The representatives have demanded that the Roman script be officially adopted for Kokborok in the state, with textbooks, CBSE, ICSE, and TBSE examination papers printed accordingly. They have also called for government recruitment exams, including those by the Tripura Public Service Commission, to permit Kokborok in Roman script.
The memorandum notes that Kokborok was recognised as a state language in 1979 through an amendment to the Tripura Official Language Act, 1964, and that advocacy for the Roman script dates back to 1967. It cites past language commission reports, including those by Shyama Charan Tripura, Kumud Kunda Chowdhury, and Pabitra Sarkar, which found widespread support for the Roman script among Kokborok speakers.
Reacting to the development, Pradyot Bikram Manikya DebBarma stated that Tipra’s elected representatives have formally conveyed their “unambiguous support” for Kokborok in Roman script to authorities. He urged other tribal representatives to clearly state their stance, warning that ambiguity or silence could have long-term consequences for future generations, beyond political differences.
The script of Kokborok has long been a sensitive cultural and political issue in Tripura. With formal memoranda now submitted to the government and growing pressure from tribal leaders, the debate over the language’s script has returned to the forefront of the state’s linguistic and identity discussions.
