AGARTALA, February 21 (TIWN): Alongwith the entire nation today Tripura celebrated International Mother Language Day, with Chief Minister Manik Sarkar inaugurated the main programme at Agartala Rabindra Bhawan. “There is no alternate to mother language”, said CM Manik Sarkar inaugurating the programme. Sarkar later laying stress upon the Kokborok language, CM urged the central govt. to include the “Kokborok” language in the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India. He said the left front govt. here in Tripura now a hub for recognition of “Mog” language, while the teachings of “Chakma” has already been started in the primary schools.CM Manik Sarkar and others observed silence in memory of late Anil Sarkar at Rabindra Bhavan. During a cabinet meeting chaired by the former Chief Minister Nripen Chakroborty, the “Kokborok” language was recognized and termed as an official language of the state, Sarkar said.CM urged the teachers across the state to motivate and encourage the children in the school to adopt their own individual mother language that may nourish one to learn other languages. Besides, CM Manik Sarkar, Tripura ICA Minister Bhanulal Saha, Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty along with other dignitaries remained present today during the inauguration programme at Agartala Rabindra Bhawan.

Inaugurating the international mother language day today Agartala Rabindra Bhawan, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said that there is no alternate to the mother language therefore one has to own their individual mother language to move forward in future, said Sarkar. Adding to this Sarkar claimed that it is only the left front govt. that has brought an equal respect to several languages here in the state.

 In addition to it, CM Manik sarkar said that during the time it was much difficult for the state govt. to recruit teachers to teach Kokborok in schools, and later some of the Madhyamik failed candidates were recruited as a teacher to teach Kokborok in the primary schools from Class I to Class V, Sarkar said.

Later laying a stress on the “Kokborok” language, Sarkar said that it has been a long term demand of the left front govt. here in Tripura to include “Kokborok” language in the 8th schedule of the constitution of India. Sarkar said, the state govt. has already identified the “Mog” language and is planning to give recognition to it. Later sideling the issue of recognition of the Manipuri “Bishnupriya” language, Sarkar said that a section of people once filed a case with the Supreme Court of India saying that the Tripura govt. has been trying to divide the Manipuris in the state, but the Supreme Court has expressed satisfaction over the role of the Tripura govt. in regard of the decision of the recognition of “Bishnupriya” language, Sarkar said.

International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation (UNESCO )in November 1999. The date represents this day in 1952 when students in Dhaka, then in East Pakistan, demonstrating for recognition of their language Bangla as one of the two national languages of the country were shot and killed by the police. The day has been observed every year since February 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism.