Leaders of the script movement arrive in the capital for talks (PTI)

Imphal, May 12: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today began hectic consultations with officials of several departments to work out a formula to replace Bengali script with Meitei Mayek in Manipuri language textbooks.

Last night, the chief minister held talks with a 20-member delegation of the Meitei Erol Eyek Loinasillon Apunba Lup and Democratic Students Alliance, Manipur (DESAM) on the script issue. The delegation gave the state government one more week to take a decision.

The four-hour meeting was led by Chingsubam Akaba, president of the Meitei Erol Eyek Loinasillon Apunba Lup and Romesh, DESAM chief, who were detained under the National Security Act in connection with the script agitation. The two were brought to the chief minister?s office from Sajiwa jail by police. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the talks.

The Ibobi Singh government is ready to replace the script from Classes I and II, but the problem is introducing it in Classes III to VIII where Manipuri language is a compulsory subject. Tribal student organisations are opposing any move to impose the Meitei script .

?The government is still discussing the issue. As agreed during yesterday?s meeting, the cabinet will take a decision within a week. We are hoping that in a week?s time, the issue will be resolved,? Secular Progressive Front coalition spokesperson Gaikhangam said.

Gaikhangam, who also took part in yesterday?s negotiation, said the government would definitely come up with a ?formula acceptable to students of both the hill and valley.?

Tribal students are suggesting that they should be allowed to use the Roman script if the Bengali script is replaced by Meitei Mayek.

During yesterday?s meeting, the delegation strongly pressed for introducing the script from Classes I to V. The Meitei Erol Eyek Loinasillon Apunba Lup today said its agitation would remain suspended till the cabinet arrived at a decision.