Tripura, 19 Jan 2026: The 48th Kokborok Day was observed in Agartala today with a morning rally organised by the Directorate of Kokborok and Minority Languages, Government of Tripura to celebrate the Kokborok language, a major linguistic identity of Tripura’s Indigenous communities.
The rally was attended by MLA Ram Pada Jamatia, Vice Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Development of Kokborok Language, and former MLA Dr. Atul Debbarma, Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Development of Kokborok Language, Government of Tripura.
Shortly after the rally began, members of TSF and TISF appeared at the front of the procession wearing black attire and holding banners demanding the introduction of the Roman script for the Kokborok language. The protesters walked alongside the rally, covering over 60 percent of the road, while raising slogans such as “We want Roman script for Kokborok.”
Following the arrival of the SDPO, the protesting members were removed from the rally area to avoid any disturbance to the official programme.
Speaking to the media, TSF leader Hamalu Jamatia said that both the Government of Tripura and the Government of India should understand the sentiments of the Indigenous community. He stated that Indigenous people must be given the right to write their own history in their own way. While acknowledging support for Kokborok Day, he reiterated that the demand related to the script should be respected.
Reacting to the incident, MLA Ram Pada Jamatia described the protest as unwarranted and inappropriate. He said Kokborok is the principal language of Tripura’s Indigenous population and is spoken by members of major clans. He condemned the act of disrupting a peaceful rally involving school and college students, alleging that the intention was to create disorder and damage the image of the state government.
He further stated that although the Roman script demand is several decades old, the majority of people do not support it. He claimed that only a small section of youth is pushing the issue under external influence and asserted that Kokborok would be written in its own script through a proper and consultative process.
Director of Kokborok and Minority Languages Department, Ananda Hari Jamatia, said the protest was unexpected and unacceptable, especially during a government-organised programme. While acknowledging that many students support the Roman script, he stressed that such demands should be raised through appropriate platforms and not during official events.
Despite the brief disruption, the Kokborok Day observance continued as scheduled, followed by discussions at Saut Vasi Hall on the cultural and linguistic significance of Kokborok.
