Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday called on the press to remain the force that keeps democracy alive.
Commemorating National Press Day on November 16, he said that in any democracy, institutions may be bent or captured by those in power, but the press must hold its ground.
"On National Press Day, I commend every journalist who refuses to bow to the authoritarianism of the Union BJP government and continues to expose its failures, its acts of corruption and its deceit with courage," Stalin said in a social media post on Sunday.
National Press Day recognises the role of a free and responsible press in keeping power in check. The number of registered publications in India has risen from 60,143 in 2004-05 to 1.54 lakh in 2024-25, according to the Press Information Bureau.
The media is often referred to as the fourth pillar of democracy, playing a crucial role in shaping public opinion, driving development and holding power to account, it said.