Sudip Roy Barman Slams BJP-Tipra Motha Alliance, Calls It a “Maha Thakai” Against Tripura’s Indigenous People
In a sharp critique of the BJP and its ally Tipra Motha, senior Congress leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman accused both parties of perpetrating a “Maha Thakai” — a grand deception — targeting the indigenous people of Tripura, particularly over the contentious issue of using the Roman script for the Kokborok language.
Speaking at a press conference at the Congress Bhavan in Agartala on Thursday, Roy Barman dismissed recent protests led by organizations affiliated with Tipra Motha as a diversionary tactic. He alleged that these agitations were mere theatrics, meant to mislead the indigenous community, while silently endorsing the state government’s imposition of the Bengali script for Kokborok.
Backing his claims with information obtained through an RTI response from the Directorate of Kokborok and Other Minority Languages, Roy Barman disclosed that a syllabus restructuring committee meeting held in early March had decided to align the curriculum for classes 9 to 12 with an “officially approved script.” He refuted this assertion, stating unequivocally that no such official script for Kokborok has ever been formally recognized.
“If there’s no officially approved script, why suppress the Roman script, which the majority of indigenous people support?” he questioned, accusing the state of pushing the Bengali script without legal or cultural legitimacy, thereby silencing the people’s voice.
Roy Barman also lashed out at Tipra Motha, challenging their sincerity. “If they truly support the Roman script, their ministers should resign from the government. Otherwise, their protests are nothing but a ploy to deceive the people.”
He denounced the BJP-Tipra Motha coalition as a betrayal of the people’s trust, saying, “Pradyot Kishore Debbarma once earned the faith of the Tiprasa people. But now he’s joined hands with a party that has historically betrayed them. Two deceivers have united, and the people are suffering as a result.”
Reiterating the Congress party’s stance, Roy Barman demanded direct central funding for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), criticizing the reliance on state intermediaries. He called for constitutional provisions such as the 125th Amendment Bill and special statuses under Articles 371 and 371(K) to ensure autonomy and financial independence for tribal regions.
“Residents of the ADC pay indirect taxes, including GST. They deserve their rightful share through direct funding,” he asserted.
Roy Barman concluded by underscoring the Congress party’s commitment to raising genuine issues. “We’re not here to engage in politics of deception. Rahul Gandhi has instructed us to work for the people—and that’s exactly what we’re doing, even if it costs us votes.”
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