Amid growing demands from the Tipra Motha Party and several indigenous social, student, and youth organizations for the adoption of the Roman script for the Kokborok language, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked the people of Tripura to adopt the Devanagari script to strengthen cultural identity.

Shah made these remarks while addressing the Eastern, North-Eastern, and Northern Regional Rajbhasha Sammelan, inaugurated at the International Indoor Exhibition Centre in Hapania.

Highlighting the linguistic harmony of the state, he noted that Bangla, Kokborok, and Hindi are widely spoken in Tripura and have progressed simultaneously without major conflict. Emphasizing national integration through language, Shah said that several eminent personalities from the North East gained national recognition through Hindi.

He cited renowned figures such as Bhupen Hazarika, S. D. Burman, R. D. Burman, and Zubeen Garg, who brought pride to the region through their contributions to Hindi music and culture.

Stating that most local languages in the North Eastern states have adopted the Devanagari script, Shah appealed to the people of Tripura to follow suit. “In Tripura, there has been no major language conflict. All three languages are progressing together. Language and script should not become subjects of controversy; they are meant for development,” he said.

He further added that identity should be preserved within the framework of the nation’s script rather than adopting what he described as a foreign script. Accepting Devanagari, he asserted, would help strengthen cultural roots while ensuring progress.