Founder of TIPRA Motha Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Monday called off the indefinite strike called by Student bodies and civil society organizations demanding Roman script for Kokborok. Debbarman asked the activists who had participated in the protests that took place in more than 50 locations of the state to celebrate the victory as the government of Tripura had finally agreed to maintain the status quo.

From now on, the students of Kokborok language will be able to write their answer sheet in both Roman and Bengali scripts. Earlier, Cabinet spokesperson Sushanta Chowdhury said that the state government has decided to allow both the scripts as a medium to write answers in the Kokborok language exams conducted by Tripura Board of secondary education. “No changes are expected in the system. The status quo will continue for the upcoming exams, allowing students to write their answer sheets in their preferred script. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha has presided over several meetings discussing the issue extensively. The government, showing sympathy towards all languages, has made this decision,” said the Minister. The decision came in the wake of a marathon meeting held at the CM’s residence.

Meanwhile, normal traffic, especially on the longer routes, came to a grinding halt in Tripura as the indefinite strike called by the Kokborok-speaking students and civil society organizations took effect early Monday morning. Hundreds of picketers gathered at selected locations on the national highway as well as the railways, causing public inconvenience. However, essential services like ambulances, milk vans, and fire brigade tenders are exempted from the bandh. According to the police department, there are as many as 49 locations where blockades have been staged on national highways, state highways, and railway tracks. “The protests are, by and large, peaceful. We have received no information of any kind of violence or confrontation. Adequate security arrangements have been made in all the areas where picketers have gathered since morning,” PRO Tripura Police Jotshiman Das Chowdhury has said.

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