Manik Saha on Saturday said an indigenous script should be developed for Kokborok, the language spoken by Tripura’s tribal communities, while clarifying that the government has issued no directive banning the Roman script.
Speaking to reporters, Saha said he was not against English but questioned the use of a foreign script for an indigenous language. “I am not against English. I read English. But for an indigenous language, why should a Roman script be used?” he asked.
He noted that Kokborok was earlier written in the Bengali script and that Indian-origin scripts such as Devanagari had also been suggested. However, those proposals were not accepted. Saha said any suitable Indian-origin script could be considered if it serves the language well.
The chief minister added that Tripura has several linguistic experts well-versed in Kokborok who could develop an appropriate script rooted in Indian tradition and suited to the language’s structure. He urged people not to be swayed by the ongoing debate and to think about future generations. “Society must feel proud of its script and heritage,” he said.
Clarifying the government’s position, Saha said no order had been issued prohibiting the Roman script. The status quo is being maintained under the Tripura Board of Secondary Education, and students may write examinations in Roman script if they wish.
He also stated that he had written to the Central Board of Secondary Education requesting consideration for allowing the Roman script, though the final decision rests with the board.
His remarks came amid ongoing protests in Agartala demanding official recognition of the Roman script for Kokborok. Protesters formed a peaceful human chain to press their demand.
