On the 'Responsible Revolutionary Party' R Balasubramanian THIS is with reference to Sumanta Banerjee's book review entitled Towards a Responsible Revolutionary Party' (EPW, April 30), in which he has reviewed the documents of the CPI(ML) led by Vinod Mishra (hereinafter referred to as CPI(ML) unless otherwise stated). Our differences with the reviewer relate to the way he analyses two central issues in the CPI(ML)'s document: (i) the tactical changes adopted by the party, such as participation in parliamentary institutions, and (ii) its changed attitude towards the Soviet and Chinese communist parties. While welcoming the decision of the CPI(ML) to participate in parliamentary institutions, Sumanta Banerjee cautions, "... in the absence of any firm adherence to a comprehensive strategy and a long- term objective, such flexible tactics could end up in mere drifting with current trends ...a fate suffered by the CPl when it began to change its strategy and tactics in 1950". But he does not explain what he means by such cosmic expressions like 'comprehensive strategy and the 'long- term objective'. On the whole, it appears that the reviewer has approached the problem only from the angle of the fate suffered by the CPI and CPi(M) because of their participation in parliamentary institutions. If he had approached the question not from the angle of empiricism but from the standpoint of Marxism-Leninism, he would 'have arrived at a different position.
