Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said we need to strengthen the culture of healthy debates and open discussions that have been a hallmark of India over the years.
Over the last thousands of years, Indians have spoken openly about the most difficult of the topics and made correct logic an integral part of the society, he said.
Speaking at an event to mark the 200th anniversary of Gujarati daily "Mumbai Samachar", Prime Minister Modi said "debate and discussions" have helped the country over the years and we need to "strengthen" the culture.
He said every institution has a particular role to play for the betterment of the society, be it the media or the legislature.
The Indian media has both criticised the policies and also stood for national interest in a constructive manner, the Prime Minister said, expressing hope that the media will continue to play its role in the next 25 years which his government has called as the "Azadi ka Amrut Kaal".
Prime Minister Modi said that the Mumbai Samachar newspaper gave voice to India's freedom movement, and lauded the publication's journey over the last 200 years.
He said the newspaper did not lose its local connect when Mumbai became Bombay. Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel often quoted this newspaper, he added.
Prime Minister Modi also released a special postal stamp commemorating 200 years of Mumbai Samachar.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
