What is the CPI(M)’s stand on death penalty? Ramesh Kumar, Delhi I wish to know our Party's stand on MIM leader's comment that death penalty was given to Yakub Memon due to his religion. I feel proud that our Party is against any capital punishment. Chittaranjan Das, Jamshedpur THE CPI(M) stands for the abolition of the death penalty. There are a number of reasons why the death penalty should be removed from the statute books. The termination of life by a decision of the State is an irrevocable act. It cannot be reversed. In the judicial system, there can be errors of judgment and mistakes made in awarding the death penalty. Once it is executed, it cannot be rectified. Secondly, given the iniquitous system of justice, only the poor and those who are powerless in society bear the brunt of capital punishment. The judicial system in India is weighted against the poor and oppressed in society. Thirdly, the death penalty is supposed to be a deterrent punishment which can curb the commitment of serious crimes like murder. But nowhere has the death penalty deterred people from committing serious crimes like murder. The Supreme Court had decreed in 1983 that the death penalty should be given only in the ‘rarest of rare’ cases. But a study of the death penalties awarded since then shows a high degree of arbitrariness and subjectivity on the part of the judges and the courts in the matter. It is particularly disturbing that in recent years whether the death penalty should be executed or not is being decided on political considerations. The hanging of Afzal Guru and Yakub Memon on the one side and the commutation of the death sentences in the Rajiv Gandhi case, the Beant Singh assassination case and so on illustrate this fact. Instead of capital punishment for heinous crimes, imprisonment for the entire life of the convict should be the alternative. This would serve the ends of justice. As far as the MIM leader Owaisi’s comments on the death sentence for Yakub Memon are concerned, it is true that the record shows that the only two Indians hanged after 2004, are Muslims. This shows that the judicial system is not immune from the overall societal bias. One should remember that the Mumbai blasts of 1993 took place in response to the killings of hundreds of Muslims in the communal violence after the Babri Masjid demolition. Yet there has not been a single conviction in the cases connected with these killings. The Justice Sri Krishna Commission Report recommendations were never implemented. However, Owaisi and the MIM seek to utilise such issues for rousing communal feelings and politically capitalise on them. For the CPI(M), the issue is of justice. Given the bias in the system, which discriminates against the poor, the oppressed and the minorities, it is imperative that the death penalty be abolished. After the unfortunate division in the Communist Party, what are the main hindrances for both the big communist parties to unite, given the present political and economic situation in the country? Muralilal Dubey, Itawa The split in the Communist Party in 1964 was a product of a prolonged inner-Party struggle on the programme and policies to be followed by the Party in India. There were also ideological differences. The division and the formation of the CPI(M) was therefore necessary if the communist movement was to be rescued from pursuing a revisionist path. Subsequently, from the beginning of the 1980s, efforts were made to forge Left unity at the national level. This has progressed. In the present situation when the neo-liberal and communal offensive is on, the need of the hour is to strengthen Left unity and broaden it. The CPI(M) and the CPI are working closely together in the current situation. Serious efforts are being made to broaden Left unity. As far as existing two communist parties are concerned, a higher unity can be achieved only when the existing ideological and programmatic issues are resolved. Until then, there should be joint work, discussions and closer cooperation.