Representatives Image: IPFT General Secretary briefing the media on Roman Script issue and the controversy surrounding CM's stand. Aga...
Agartala, Feb 16: The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a ruling ally in Tripura, on Monday issued a strong warning to Chief Minister Manik Saha, urging him to refrain from making statements on the sensitive Kokborok Roman script issue.
Addressing the media, IPFT General Secretary Swapan Debbarma said decisions regarding the script of Kokborok should be left to its speakers and scholars. He pointed out that the Chief Minister’s mother tongue is Bengali and maintained that interference in the internal linguistic matters of the Kokborok-speaking community was unwarranted.
“Kokborok speakers know which script will help in the development of their language. There is no need for outside interference,” Debbarma said, adding that continued remarks on the issue could create more complications being an ally of the government.
He further clarified that while the Chief Minister may express personal opinions, any official position of the government must be formally documented. “As an ally in the ruling coalition, we believe the recent remarks reflect his personal view and not the government’s official stand. To our knowledge, there is no written government decision on this matter,” he said.
Debbarma also reminded that political history has shown how language-related issues can influence public sentiment, referring to the defeat of the Left Front in the past. Emphasizing that no government remains in power permanently, he said the IPFT would take necessary steps to safeguard the interests of Kokborok speakers if required.
He reiterated that students should be allowed to write Kokborok in both Roman and Bengali scripts and cautioned against any attempt to assert dominance in language matters, stressing that such sensitive issues must be handled with restraint and mutual respect within the alliance.
