Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has strongly opposed calls to adopt the Roman script for the Kokborok language, emphasizing that such a change could jeopardize the state’s indigenous cultural heritage. His comments have reignited a longstanding linguistic controversy that has divided political factions and communities in the region.
Kokborok serves as the primary language for around 1.4 million individuals from 19 tribal groups in Tripura. Advocacy for the Roman script has been led by the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and affiliated student organizations, such as the Tipra Indigenous Student Federation (TISF) and Twipra Students Federation (TSF). Proponents argue that switching to Roman letters would simplify educational resources and improve learning outcomes for native speakers.
The debate has gained momentum ahead of elections for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), revealing tensions between the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its coalition partner, TMP. While TMP pushes aggressively for the Roman script, the state administration remains steadfast in its resistance.
In an interview with ANI during ongoing demonstrations supporting the script shift, Saha described the Roman alphabet as a “foreign” influence that might erode traditional values. He affirmed the government’s preference for options like the Devanagari script or crafting an entirely new system grounded in local traditions, aiming to preserve authenticity while addressing modern needs.
This stance reflects broader efforts to balance linguistic evolution with cultural preservation in Tripura, where language policies often intersect with identity politics and regional autonomy.
Tags: Tripura CM Manik Saha, Roman Script Kokborok Debate, Indigenous Language Preservation, Tipra Motha Party Demands, TTAADC Elections Tripura, Kokborok Language Script, BJP TMP Alliance Tensions, Tribal Communities Tripura, Cultural Identity Threat, Northeast India Linguistics
Hashtags: #TripuraCM #ManikSaha #KokborokScript #RomanScriptDebate #IndigenousIdentity #TipraMotha #TTAADCElections #TripuraTribals #NortheastIndia #CulturalPreservation #TripuraNews #LanguagePolitics
