Vice – President Hamid Ansari has said that the Press had emerged as a tool for national awakening. Delivering his key note address on the occasion of the launch of commemorative publication of National Herald in Bengaluru today, he said, the Press was a medium for propagation of modern ideas of democracy, freedom and equality. <br/><br/>He said, the English Press emerged as a medium of communication between nationalists across the country and played a role in welding India into a single nation and in giving the Indians a sense of national identity. This was crucial in mobilizing the masses for various nationalist and social causes. <br/><br/>Recalling Mahatma Gandhi's association with six journals, the Vice President said, Young India and Harijan became powerful vehicles of his views on all subjects. For Gandhiji, journalism was a public service, he said. Mr. Ansari said, it is wrong to use a newspaper as merely a means of living. Otherwise, it is likely to be serious malpractice, he said.<br/><br/>He expressed his happiness over National Herald resuming its publication in both print and digital formats. It will uphold the standards of journalism that Jawaharlal Nehru enshrined in his newspaper, Mr.Ansari said. <br/><br/>Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the struggle for country's Independence, journalism played a highly impactful role, so much so that it was synonymous with Nationalism, Patriotism and Secularism. He said National Herald had always championed the cause of the Freedom of Press and was considered as the 'Voice of India', during the fight for Independence.