Agartala, June 24, 2023: Leader of the Opposition, Animesh Debbarma, issued a stern warning to the state government, asserting that without the support of his party, TIPRA, they may fail to complete their full term of five years. Speaking at a rally organized by the TIPRA Women’s Federation, Debbarma rallied his party members and supporters, highlighting the demand for the use of the Roman script for the indigenous Kokborok language.

Debbarma declared, “Kokborok is our language, and Roman script is our choice. We have the right to determine the script for our mother tongue. The government must not ignore our demand. If necessary, over one lakh women activists from TIPRA will march to the civil secretariat to make our voices heard.”

He further criticized the state government, cautioning that provoking the dormant Tiprasa community would lead to costly consequences. Debbarma emphasized that without TIPRA Motha’s support, the government’s stability could be at risk, pointing out the delicate balance of power in the assembly.

If the demand for the Roman script continues to be disregarded, Debbarma warned of massive protests throughout the state, challenging any government to confront such a situation. He called upon the Chief Minister to fulfill the promise of forming a committee to examine the demand, urging him to address the technical issues associated with other scripts.

Geeta Debbarma, the TWF leader, echoed the demand, urging the Governor to consider the issue as their own and take prompt action for its resolution. A delegation from the TWF later met the Governor and submitted a memorandum outlining their demands.

Although a brief standoff occurred when police barricades obstructed TWF activists from accessing the VIP road near the Kunjaban area, the situation was quickly resolved. The public meeting proceeded as planned in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Kunjaban area of Agartala.