Agartala, Feb 27: Tension prevailed in the capital on Thursday evening as members of the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) staged a protest in front of Sukanta Academy, Agartala, over the demand for the introduction of Roman script for Indigenous languages.
As part of the demonstration, TSF activists burned an effigy of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, alleging that the state government is ignoring the demands and rights of Indigenous people.
The protest was held to press for the adoption of Roman script, a long-standing demand of sections of Indigenous communities in Tripura.
Speaking to the media, TSF Vice President John Debbarma strongly criticized the Chief Minister for what he described as continued opposition to the aspirations of Indigenous people.
“We have been demanding our rights, but the Chief Minister is repeatedly opposing the rights of the Indigenous people. That is why we are compelled to burn his effigy as a mark of protest,” he said.
Citing examples from other states, Debbarma pointed to Assam, where he claimed the government allows flexibility in the use of scripts based on the preferences of Indigenous communities.
“In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has allowed Indigenous communities to use scripts according to their will. For example, the Dimasa language is written in the English alphabet and is recognized by institutions like the Central Institute of Indian Languages and NCERT,” he stated.
He further argued that the issue of language and script falls under the purview of the state government and urged the Tripura government to adopt a similar approach.
“This is a state subject. The Chief Minister of Tripura should listen to the voice of the Indigenous people and allow the use of Roman script as per their will. There should not be discrimination,” Debbarma added.
The TSF leaders reiterated that their protest was intended to send a clear message to the government, demanding immediate action on the issue.
No untoward incident was reported during the protest, and security personnel were present at the site to maintain law and order.
The demand for Roman script has remained a sensitive and debated issue in Tripura, with differing opinions among various stakeholders.
