Fresh twist in Kokborok script controversy, indigenous organisation alleges TBSE chief misbehaved with its delegates

“We are currently examining the details of the complaint. No FIR has been filed yet,” said West Tripura Superintendent of Police Kiran Kumar.

Ganchoudhury had earlier purportedly claimed that candidates appearing in the Board exams would only be allowed to use the Bengali script for Kokborok.

The Opposition Tipra Motha also protested against the purported comment, claiming that the controversy can adversely affect the law-and-order situation.

Earlier in the day, Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma attacked Ganchoudhury over the script controversy. In an audio message, Debbarma alleged that the Board chief was trying to bully tribal students.

“How many FIRs will Mr Choudhury (Ganchoudhury) file against our students? There will be consequences for your behaviour? Don’t forget whenever language and script are imposed forcefully, there is retaliation. East Pakistan became Bangladesh because West Pakistan tried to impose Urdu on the Bengali-speaking people there. You should support the rights of our students and not try to bully them,” he said.

Reacting to the criticisms, Ganchoudhury said, “It will be easier for us to evaluate the answer scripts if candidates who have opted for Kokborok take the exam in the Bengali script. The exam centres in-charge have been asked to tell the students who have chosen Kokborok to write their papers in the Bengali script. If they use the Roman script, it would be difficult for us to evaluate as we don’t have the required infrastructure for it.”

He added that the TBSE has also asked the examination centres in-charge to notify the local police station about the exam schedule and seek deployment of adequate police force if they suspect any trouble.

The TBSE chief then said that he “respected Kokborok just like his mother tongue Bengali”.