TSF’s blockade crippled life, to continue their movements demanding Roman script for Kokborok

The statewide road blockade agitations by Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) from  Friday morning along national highways across the state bringing the inter-district connectivity of the state to a grinding halt and crippled normal life.

TSF demanding Roman script for Kokborok language started their indefinite agitation on Friday morning , demanding the inclusion of the Roman script for the Kokborok language. The ongoing blockade has seen massive participation, with picketers blocking national highways, railway lines, key roads, and institutions. As a result, Tripura University (TSU) and Maharaja Bir Bikram University have canceled ongoing semester examinations. Hundreds of school students with buses stranded for hours in Agartala, causing tremendous hardship for children.

Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, leader of the Tipra Motha party, joined the protest in solidarity with the students, stating that their demand was genuine. On the way to the Assembly, Pradyot emphasized that no political alliance was more important than the interests of the people, especially the youth. "Inside the assembly, our MLAs will raise the issue, and outside, we will demand. There can be no compromise on our youth and next generation," he declared.

The ongoing blockade, which has disrupted daily life and education across Tripura, is expected to persist until the state government responds with a concrete solution. The TSF has also called on other students and organizations to join the movement in support of the cause.

The independent students’ body called an indefinite strike to press for its four-point charter of demands. The demands include immediate implementation of Roman Script in all educational institutions; recognition of roman script as an official system for Kokborok language; rescheduling the exams for the Kokborok board exams; and permanently ending any policy that advocates for Bengali script for Kokborok learners.

According to the TSF, in the recently held Tripura Board conducted Madhyamik exams, question papers of Kokborok were framed in the Bengali script which the students felt was unfair for students who were primarily coming from English medium schools and had learnt Kokborok using Roman script from the primary level.

Kokborok is a language of the Indo-Tibetan family and is the second most widely spoken language in Tripura. For the majority of the tribal communities in Tripura, Kokborok is the medium of communication and mother tongue.

Speaking about the blockades and strike, TSF General Secretary Hamalu Jamatia said, “All national highways are blocked. Apart from that, in Jolaibari under South Tripura district, our activists have staged a blockade at the railway tracks as well.”

He said that the students would continue to protest until the government initiates talks with them.

According to police sources, within West Tripura district blockades were imposed in as many as seven locations namely Brajendra Colony, Gabordi, Champaknagar Sadhu Para, NIT first gate, Khowai Chowmuhani and Circuit House in Agartala.