Media persons place 11-point charter of demands, held protest in city

More than 800 journalists and media workers from across Tripura on Monday held a three-hour sit-in demonstration here in Agartala, demanding enhanced safety, welfare measures and action against alleged harassment of senior journalists by two ruling party legislators.

The protest was organised in front of Rabindra Bhavan, where participants raised an 11-point charter of demands, including allocation of free residential land for journalists, enhancement of pension and family pension benefits, higher advertisement rates for recognised media outlets and a dedicated budgetary provision for journalist welfare.

Organisers said journalists from all subdivisions of the state took part in the agitation, including around 150 media workers from tribal communities associated with the Khumulwng Press Club.

The reporters gathered in the protests demanded steps to prevent social, economic and physical attacks on media personnel and sought stronger legal safeguards for journalists.

A delegation led by senior editor Subal Kumar Dey later met Chief Minister Manik Saha and submitted a memorandum detailing their demands.

Dey said the chief minister assured the delegation that the issues would be examined and appropriate action taken. The delegation also warned that if justice was not ensured in cases involving alleged intimidation of journalists, they would approach the prime minister, the Union home minister and the president.

Addressing the gathering, several speakers alleged that two MLAs from the ruling parties — Ram Prasad Pal and Ranjit Debbarma — had misused their constitutional positions to harass senior journalists following reports on alleged corruption and communally charged comments.

The speakers claimed such actions were adversely affecting press freedom and the relationship between the government and the media. The MLAs have not responded to the allegations.

Among the key demands were allocation of Rs 50 lakh to the Journalists’ Welfare Fund in the 2026–27 state budget, doubling of pension and family pension amounts, a 50 per cent concession on electricity charges for recognised media houses, increased advertisement rates for print, web and television media, and regular government advertisements for weekly newspapers.

The protesters also demanded group insurance coverage and a monthly allowance for newspaper hawkers, strict action against misuse of administrative power to silence journalists through social media, early completion of trials in the cases relating to slain journalists Sudip Datta Bhowmik and Santanu Bhowmik, and enforcement of guidelines to prevent misuse of press stickers on vehicles.