Kokborok Sahitya Parishad urges Tripura CM Dr. Manik Saha to include Kokborok in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, emphasizing its cultural significance and need for preservation.
Agartala, April 19 : The Kokborok Sahitya Parishad has formally appealed to the Chief Minister of Tripura, Dr Manik Saha urging the inclusion of the Kokborok language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
In a detailed letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the Parishad emphasized the cultural and historical significance of Kokborok, a widely spoken indigenous language in Tripura.
Kokborok is one of the oldest and most widely spoken languages among the indigenous communities of Tripura.
Kokborok is one of the oldest and most widely spoken languages among the indigenous communities of Tripura.
It serves as a vital medium of cultural expression, history and identity for the tribal population. Despite its rich heritage and widespread usage, the language has yet to receive constitutional recognition which is crucial for its preservation, development and promotion at a national level.
The letter to Dr Saha, signed by Kokborok Sahitya Parishad president Naresh Ch. Debbarma and General Secretary Padma Kr. Debbarma, highlights the language’s rich heritage.
“It pertinent to mention here that Kokborok can be written with either Devanagari or Bengali Script correctly and appropriately and it has a golden history to write the Kokborok with Bengali Script since long. Most of the Kokborok scholars have been writing Kokborok with Bengali Script”, the letter read.
“It pertinent to mention here that Kokborok can be written with either Devanagari or Bengali Script correctly and appropriately and it has a golden history to write the Kokborok with Bengali Script since long. Most of the Kokborok scholars have been writing Kokborok with Bengali Script”, the letter read.
Despite its prominence, Kokborok lacks the constitutional recognition necessary for its preservation, promotion, and development at a national level.
The inclusion of Kokborok in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution would bring several benefits, including official usage in government and education, increased opportunities for linguistic research, greater representation in competitive examinations, and enhanced preservation efforts through institutional support.
The Kokborok Sahitya Parishad stressed that this move would ensure equitable opportunities for Kokborok-speaking students and learners while safeguarding Tripura’s linguistic and cultural heritage.
“In the light of the above, we earnestly request your esteemed office to take necessary steps to recommend and advocate for the inclusion of Kokborok in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution with any native script preferably with Bengali or Devanagari Script. Your support and initiative in this regard will go a long way in safeguarding the linguistic and cultural heritage of Tripura,” the letter read.
