Tipra Motha student wing withdraws indefinite strike after Tripura govt accepts Roman script demand for Kokborok

Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat in Agartala on Monday evening, Tripura Tourism and Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said, “Any political party can call bandhs in a democracy. They have the right. But bandh is not a solution… In the past, we have seen that less than 2 per cent of students answered Kokborok papers in the Roman script. However, we have decided that the status quo (of allowing both Bengali and Roman scripts) be maintained.”

The state government had earlier said it would decide the script policy for Kokborok after receiving guidelines from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

Asked about the government’s earlier stance of waiting for CBSE guidelines, the minister replied, “We don’t know about the CBSE’s position. In CBSE, this (Kokborok) exam is going to be held for the first time. After the CBSE exams, we shall come to know about the number of students (who prefer to answer Kokborok papers in the Roman script).”

Chowdhury also defended the chief minister on the issue. “The CM is serious about the students’ future. He wrote to the CBSE personally on the script issue after the last assembly session. There is no response from them yet. We are waiting,” he said.

The minister also said his government respects all languages and does not want to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Shortly after the government’s announcement, TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma went live on social media and said, “This isn’t my or your victory. It is a victory for the next generation. I thank the Government of India… It is the correct decision. Nobody can rule a people by eliminating language, land, and identity. I urge all my supporters to celebrate, go back home but, above all, maintain peace.”

Asking the tribals to stay united, Pradyot Kishore said, “We have won today, it doesn’t mean we shall win tomorrow as well. For this, we shall need a permanent Constitutional solution… We have to bring a final solution to the script issue one day.”

Expressing anguish at the repeated ‘dilly-dallying’ tactics of Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) President Dr Dhananjay Ganchoudhury over the Kokborok exam script issue, he said, “People like the TBSE president… increase conflict. No Bengali is against us, nor are we against Bengalis. We simply wanted the existing script options to continue.”

Pradyot Kishore also requested the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to purchase history books in English that provide a fair account of the history of Tripura.

The TTAADC is ruled by Pradyot Kishore’s party Tipra Motha.