Mon Jul 14 16:19:57 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, formatted for a general audience:

**Kerala Minister Praises State’s Media Freedom Amid National Concerns**

**Kozhikode, India – July 14, 2025** – Kerala’s Minister for Public Works, P.A. Mohamed Riyas, lauded the state’s commitment to independent journalism during the Theruvath Raman Memorial Journalism Excellence Award ceremony held on Monday. Speaking at the Calicut Press Club, where he presented the award for the best editorial to senior journalist V.M. Ibrahim, Minister Riyas emphasized that Kerala stands as a beacon of media freedom at a time when other states are exhibiting restrictive attitudes towards critical reporting.

Riyas expressed concerns over the current national landscape, alleging that certain entities, including the National Investigation Agency, were being utilized to suppress media freedom and advocacy. In contrast, he highlighted Kerala’s proactive and receptive approach to constructive criticism from the press, positioning the state as a model for other regions.

The event also marked the distribution of new identity cards for journalists, presented by Minister Riyas alongside Press Club president E.P. Mohammed and secretary P.K. Sajith. The award ceremony and subsequent remarks underscore the ongoing debate surrounding media independence and the varying approaches taken by different states within India.

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