Agartala, Oct. 24: The Bru Socio-Cultural Organisation, the apex cultural body of the community, is planning to send a delegation to meet the Tripura chief minister and governor and press for recognition of their Kau Bru language.

"Contrary to popular belief, we do not speak Kokborok. Our language called Kau Bru, it is different from Kokborok in many respects. Hence, we demand recognition of Kau Bru as a separate language by the state government," said Bimal Reang, former secretary of the organisation and currently an official in the panchayat department.

He said as a government official he was no longer associated with the activities of the organisation but supports the demand as a member of the community.

Reang said in the Tripura Official Language Act, 1964, only English and Bengali had been recognised and no place was given to Kokborok, which then lacked a script.

"After the Left Front came to power in 1978, Kokborok was recognised as an official language on January 19, 1979, by an amendment. At that time, the Reangs (Brus) had pointed out that their language was separate and distinct from Kokborok and demanded recognition for Kau Bru but this was not granted," he said.

"Most of the Reangs living in Kanchanpur subdivision of North Tripura, Ambassa and Gandacherra subdivision in Dhalai district and Santir Bazar subdivision in South Tripura find it difficult to speak Kokorok. The problem is most acute for Reang students in schools where Kokborok is the medium of instruction," said Reang.

He said that after the formation of the socio-cultural organisation in 2001, several representations were made to the state government but the demand for recognition of Kau Bru was not accepted.

"After a series of meetings recently, the organisation decided to send a deputation to meet chief minister Manik Sarkar and governor Tathagata Roy on the demand. The group may even launch an agitation if the demand is not fulfilled," Reang said.

He also rued the plight of Reangs in neighbouring Mizoram.

"Unless they convert to Christianity, even basic amenities given to citizens are denied to them. There is no question of recognition of language and a large section of Reangs cannot speak their mother tongue," he said.

He said Reangs started migrating to Mizoram for jhum (shifting) cultivation in the second half of the 19th century. "Brus or Reangs in Mizoram constitute the second largest community but their condition is far worse in socio-economic terms than in Tripura," Reang said.