AGARTALA: The Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) launched an indefinite statewide strike on Friday demanding that the Kokborok language be formally written in Roman script. Following the strike, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha assured the people that the matter would be settled quickly.
The TSF, which has received support from the student wing of BJP ally Tipra Motha, has also demanded that CBSE Class 10 and 12 examinations for Kokborok be held afresh, as several candidates had to turn in blank answer scripts after invigilators in certain centres ‘declined’ to translate Kokborok question papers set in Bengali script.
“The students got a Kokborok question paper written in the Bengali language. They wanted it in Roman script. We see that the Tripura government, TBSE (Tripura Board of Secondary Education), and CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) are playing with the academic careers of the students. That's why we've called for an indefinite strike, starting today (Friday). But we want to give a message to the people that we are not against anyone or any language,” one TSF leader told reporters.
Meanwhile, reacting to the strike call, Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma wrote on social media, “Looks like we will have to look at Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland, where despite the local languages not being included in the 8th schedule, the boys and girls can write and read their language and sit in examinations in Roman script."
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