Q. Why is the sedition law objectionable and why is the Party opposed to it when there are secessionist forces active in the country? Rajkumar, ChandigarhTHE sedition clause in the Indian Penal Code is contained in Section 124A. This clause was introduced by the British colonial government in the IPC to suppress people who were opposed to British rule. Sedition means inciting people against the authority of the State or the monarch. This notorious clause was used rampantly by the British against freedom fighters.

Every day in Ganashakti, we are reading about the continuing human tragedy in North Bengal tea gardens. We cannot expect any help from state or çentral governments. But shall we only continue to blame the failure of governments or do something ourselves?Then why aren’t we requesting all Party members and sympathisers to contribute their two days salary and create a fund to save the workers?We say that we are a mass Party.

What is the CPI(M)’s opinion on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that makes homosexual relations a criminal offence? Do you support the demand for review of this clause in the Supreme Court?
S Madhav, Mysuru

1. What is the difference between " revolutionary party with a mass line " as said now and " mass revolutionary party " as said in the Salkia plenum resolution ? 2. What is new specifically, hitherto untold or what is given more emphasis hitherto not emphasized enough?R Jawahar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.1. The call for having a mass revolutionary Party was given at the Salkia Plenum.

In the 21st Party Congress, you have reviewed "Our growing weakness was the electoral alliance and adjustment that we had entered into with various regional parties". "By this we compromised the identity and independent role of our Party" and therefore "could not gain the people’s confidence". In this review, I am afraid, you might have missed to refer to, as it appears, our alliance with the Congress under the pseudonym Congress for democracy in Tripura in, perhaps, 1977 and our alliance with the Congress at the centre in 2004 with varied results.