EDITORS and in-charges of the CPI(M) guided dailies, weeklies and other publications met at Hyderabad for a two day brain storming session last week. The meeting held on April 29-30, was attended by 25 editors/ in charges representing six dailies--Deshabhimani (Kerala), Ganashakti (Bengal), Daily Desher Katha (Tripura), Prajasakti (Andhra Pradesh), Nava Telangana (Telangana) and Thikkatheer (Tamil Nadu)--and  weeklies/ fortnightlies--People's Democracy, Loklahar,  Deshitaishee, Swadhinata,  Kisan-Mazdoor, Chintha, Jeewan Marg, Ganashakti (Assam), Janashakti (Karnataka) and Lokjatan (MP).  Gautam Das, former editor of Daily Desher Katha, presided over the two day session. The meeting was hosted by the daily Nava Telangana.

Prakash Karat, editor of People's Democracy and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, directed the discussion through his opening comments. Underlining the necessity of meeting communal challenge flowing from BJP-RSS's ascendancy to power, representing the combination of "an aggressive pursuit of neoliberal policies and full scale attempt by RSS-led Hindutva forces to advance their communal agenda", Karat drew attention towards all the aspects of this challenge including its ideological, social and cultural dimensions. At the same time, Karat also emphasised the necessity of increasing the reach and strengthening of effective communication by all the CPI(M) guided publications.

Two separate discussions took place. First focused on the question of meeting communal challenge, drew in varied experiences of different parts of the country and also varied methods adopted by different publications in meeting this challenge. Second discussion focused on the current state of these publications and challenges of increasing their effectivity.

In his concluding remarks, Karat, pointing towards the fact of this meeting being held after a gap of three years, assured that these meetings will be held every year.