Agartala: The Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), a prominent tribal student organisation in Tripura, announced late Sunday the suspension of its statewide agitation, including road blockades, after a crucial meeting with Chief Minister Manik Saha.
The TSF, represented by a five-member delegation led by Vice-President John Debbarma and General Secretary Hamalu Jamatia, expressed optimism following discussions with the chief minister regarding their demand for adopting the Roman script for the Kokborok language.
Chief Minister Manik Saha described the meeting as “fruitful” in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
“Fruitful meeting with the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) delegation this evening! They shared their concerns, and I assured them we’ll work together to find solutions. I appreciate their passion for ‘Ek Tripura, Viksit Tripura’ and commitment to our state’s overall development. Looking forward to collaborative efforts towards a brighter future for Tripura!”
Speaking to the media after the meeting, TSF General Secretary Hamalu Jamatia said, “The chief minister assured us that he would discuss our demand with the cabinet and other leaders. Since he initiated discussions, we are hopeful of a genuine resolution. For now, we are temporarily withdrawing the strike.”
Jamatia clarified that the TSF is not seeking the inclusion of Kokborok in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, emphasising that script selection is a state matter that can be resolved without constitutional amendments.
The demand for adopting the Roman script for Kokborok has been a long-standing issue in Tripura, with tribal organisations and political groups frequently voicing their opinions.
While the current suspension marks a pause in the agitation, TSF leaders stated they would form a committee to monitor the state government’s actions before deciding on further steps.
Earlier, during the first day of Tripura’s week-long budget session, had reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the Kokborok script issue.
He assured the Assembly that the matter is being studied carefully and would be resolved soon.
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“There have been detailed discussions over the years, including why the Roman script is preferred over the Devanagari script for writing Kokborok. While no definitive resolution has been reached, this issue is included in the recent tripartite agreement, and talks are ongoing,” Saha told the Assembly.
The TSF had organised a day-long demonstration on Friday, blocking key routes leading to Agartala Airport, the Assembly, and other government institutions, coinciding with the start of the Assembly’s budget session.
The protests intensified the decades-old demand for script reform, but the latest discussions with the chief minister have temporarily diffused tensions.
