Tripura Government is working to include Kokborok in the 8th Schedule. Also mulling to rename key public places, and structures in Kokborok language.
Enewstime Desk
Agartala, January 11, 2020: In an attempt to strengthen cultural bond between indigenous communities and Bengali people, the Tripura Government is working to include Kokborok – the language of ethnic people of the State – in the 8th Schedule. Moreover, Tripura Government is contemplating to rename key public places, structures and geographical entities in Kokborok. Education Minister of Tripura, Ratan Lal Nath said this in Agartala today.
Tripura Govt keen to include Kokborok in 8th Schedule
Nath presided over a preparatory meeting today for celebration of 42nd Kokborok language day slated to be hold on January 19 next. Speaking to media, he said that the government was trying wholeheartedly to include Kokborok in the 8th schedule of the constitution.
“There are altogether 42 languages in the waiting list which are set to be included in the 8th schedule of the constitution. Kokborok is at the 25th slot of this list. We are hopeful that soon the Kokborok that is practiced by about 9 lakh population of the state will be enlisted as an official language” the education Minister hoped.
Using Kokborok words
As a measure to reach the Kokborok language to each and every public space, he added, the government has directed to practice using Kokborok words in government offices during January 13 to 19. This initiative will surely fetch positive impact, he hoped.
“We believe in application. We have discussed and directed the officials to use some Kokborok words in official communication during the weeklong observance on the language. Between January 13 to 19, officials will use small Kokborok words in communication as measure to show respect to state’s own lingua franca”, Ratan added.
Moreover, the education minister also told media that the TPSC had been directed to recruit professors of Kokborok to nourish this language through research works. Apart from this, Kokborok day will be celebrated in block and subdivision levels too. All the departments have been directed hold meetings with the stakeholders and public representatives irrespective of political affiliations in order to observe the day religiously.
On renaming important places, the Education Minister said, “We have invited suggestion from TRI (Tribal Research Institute), civil societies and other pertaining bodies to make some distinctive changes in the names of important public places, structures and geographical entities such as rivers, hills etc. We are hopeful of renaming some key places in Kokborok in an attempt to strengthen the cultural bond between tribal and Bengali communities,” said Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath adding that though there was no official announcement in this regard and Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb will announce the names after all the necessary works are being completed.
Wikipedia defines Kokborok as follows:
Kokborok is the Sino-Tibetan native language of the Borok (Tripura) people of the Indian state of Tripura and neighbouring areas of Bangladesh. The name comes from kok meaning “verbal” and borok meaning “human”.
