Agartala: April 17: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched the Wakf Amendment Awareness Campaign to educate the Muslim community about the newly enacted Wakf (Amendment) Act. A state-level workshop was held at Rabindra Centenary Hall as part of this initiative, attended by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, BJP State President Rajib Bhattacharjee, MP Biplab Kumar Deb, and other prominent leaders.
During the workshop, MP Biplab Kumar Deb accused opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress and the All India Congress, of spreading misinformation about the Act for political gain. He emphasized that the Wakf (Amendment) Act aims to benefit poor Muslims and address longstanding issues such as corruption, misuse of Wakf properties, and illegal encroachments.
BJP State President Rajib Bhattacharjee highlighted the weaknesses of the Wakf Act of 1995, which he said had adversely affected poor Muslims from backward communities. He noted that the amended Act seeks to rectify these issues and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of Wakf properties.
The campaign aims to raise public awareness among Muslim citizens about the provisions and benefits of the amended law. BJP leaders reiterated their commitment to empowering marginalized sections of the Muslim community through this initiative.
Congress MLA criticizes BJP and Tipra Motha for exploiting the emotions of the indigenous Tiprasa people
Agartala: April 17: The controversy surrounding the Roman script demand in Tripura’s tribal politics has intensified, with Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman criticizing the BJP and Tipra Motha for allegedly exploiting the emotions of the indigenous Tiprasa people
The Tribal Students’ Federation (TSF) has been protesting for the adoption of the Roman script for the Kokborok language, citing difficulties faced by students who have to write exams in Bengali script. The Roman script is seen as a way to enhance literacy and cultural identity for Kokborok speakers.
Kokborok is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Borok people of Tripura, with a rich history dating back to the 1st century AD. It was officially recognized in 1979 and has around 880,537 speakers in Tripura.
In 2005, a report by the Tripura Upajati Bhasha Commission found 70.30% of respondents in favor of the Roman script for Kokborok. The Tripura Board of Secondary Education has permitted the use of Roman script for Kokborok language in examinations.
Sudip Roy Barman has called the movement a “scripted drama” designed to mislead the Tiprasa community, accusing the BJP and Tipra Motha of orchestrating a “grand betrayal”. He urged a more democratic approach, emphasizing the need for collective and transparent efforts to secure genuine rights.
The Congress party has reaffirmed its support for the legitimate demands of the tribal communities, stating they will stand with the Tiprasa and tribal people regardless of political outcomes.
The issue remains a major flashpoint in Tripura’s tribal politics, with different groups holding contrasting views on the adoption of the Roman script.
