Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday sprang a surprise when he gave an interview in the ‘Kokborok’ dialect to a local television channel. Mr. Deb had earlier expressed interest in learning the language, which is spoken by most of the State’s 33% indigenous population.
The interview assumed significance as it was aired a day after TIPRA (Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance)-run authority of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) took a decision to use Kokborok for official communication.
Kokborok was declared as the second official language of the State in 1979. But after the installation of the first ever CPI(M)-led Left Front government, it was not properly utilised for official matters. English and Bangla (dialect of the majority Bengali community) remained at the centre stage.
Though Mr. Deb could not speak fast in Kokborok while responding to questions during the interview, he managed to deliver on most issues; the interviewer herself was from the indigenous community. Mr. Deb highlighted programmes implemented by the State government and the progress made in the State during his over three-year-long tenure as Chief Minister.
