BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 9th February 2026 : Over 800 journalists and media workers staged a three-hour mass sit-in and protest in front of Rabindra Bhavan today, pressing for an 11-point charter of demands aimed at safeguarding press freedom and improving the welfare of media professionals in Tripura.
The demonstration, which also saw participation from 150 tribal journalists affiliated with the Khumulwng Press Club, called for measures including: Security guarantees for journalists and media workers; Free land allocation for housing journalists in their respective areas; ₹50 lakh allocation to the Journalists’ Welfare Fund in the upcoming budget; Doubling of pensions and family pensions for journalists; Doubling advertising rates and ensuring regular advertisements for weekly newspapers; Group insurance and monthly allowance for newspaper distributors; and A 50% discount on electricity bills for media outlets.
The protest also demanded immediate legal action against two ruling party MLAs, Ram Prasad Pal and Ranjit Debbarma, accused of intimidating senior journalists through threats and misuse of constitutional authority.
A delegation led by senior editor Subal Kumar Dey submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who assured that the demands would be examined. The representatives warned that if justice is not delivered, they will escalate the matter to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and President.
Speakers including Subal Kumar Dey, Sanjay Pal, Shanit Debroy, Pranab Sarkar, Dibakar Debnath, Narayan Patwari, Sebak Bhattacharya, and newspaper distributors’ leader Nanigopal Saha emphasized unity within the media fraternity. They alleged that Pal and Debbarma were targeting editors who reported on corruption and communal violence, thereby straining relations between the press and government.
The protest also highlighted long-pending issues, such as the nine-year delay in trials related to the murders of journalists Sudip Datta Bhowmik and Santanu Bhowmik, misuse of press stickers on vehicles, and neglect of newspaper distributors.
Organizers Sanit Debroy and Pranab Sarkar underscored that the demands are not only about welfare but also about protecting democracy and ensuring the media’s equal status alongside other pillars of governance.
