Tripura: Pradyot expresses displeasure over denial of using Kokborok language in MBB airport for announcement

Chairman of TIPRA Motha Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma has expressed his displeasure over the role of government after it denied using the Kokborok language for announcements in the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala.

Pradyot who is also the royal scion of Tripura has met the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia and demanded to include the Kokborok language for the announcement in MBB airport.

However, weeks after the meeting, the Union Minister in a letter to Pradyot has informed that Bengali has been preferred for announcements at the airport due to its widespread use in the nearby areas.

“Please refer to your letter dated 31.10.2022 regarding the announcement in indigenous language at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, Agartala. I would like to apprise you that in accordance with the extant policy of Airports Authority of India (AAI), the announcements are made at airports in three languages- one local language, Hindi and English. Though, Bengali and Kokborok, both have been declared as State Languages by the Government of Tripura, Bengali has been preferred for announcements at the airport due to its wide spread use in the nearby areas”, the letter of Scindia reads.

While speaking to India Today NE , Pradyot expressed his displeasure over the role of the government and said this is a way to keep the community separate.

“It’s very painful that government didn’t accept our demand. I have asked for an announcement in Kokborok and in Bengali too. If this is the situation , government’s mantra of  ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ does not stand anywhere. How can they fulfill our resolutions like this? They are not giving importance to the language. It is an absolute discrimination and unlike other regional parties, I infact said that along with the Bengali language, Kokborok should can be used in the airport. I wanted Bengali langauge to continue and Kokborok language to be included… In Bihar, they announce in Bhojpuri.. In Assam Assamese is used. There is no harm in including Kokborok language in our airport. This is very unfortunate”, said Pradyot.