Law Ministry has proposed to amend the IPC to deal with the racially motivated crimes.

Home Ministry’s proposal to amend law to insert two stricter anti-racial discrimination provisions in Indian Penal Code has got a lukewarm response from States.

Only four of them Uttar Pradesh, apart from Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram in Northeast have given their assent to proposed law.

Three Union Territories Andaman and Nicobar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Lakshwadeep have also agreed to the Centre’s proposal.

On July 26, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home informed Rajya Sabha that Ministry proposed to amend IPC “to deal with racially motivated crimes.”

Kiren Rijju stated that,“Home Ministry has proposed to amend the two provisions in IPC, that is, Section 153A and Section 509A. These are proposed to be inserted into Indian Penal Code Sections. Since this matter comes under Concurrent List, we have to obtain opinion of State Governments”.

Draft Section 153C IPC provision proposed by Ministry states,

“Whoever promotes or attempts to promote, on the ground of race, racial features, behaviour, culture, customs or way of living, any act which is prejudicial to human dignity or dignity of members belonging to particular race and uses criminal force or violence in furtherance of such act, or, participates in such act intending to use criminal force or violence or knowing that participants in such act is likely to use criminal force or violence against the member of a race or cause or likely to cause fear or feeling of insecurity amongst the members of such race, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and fine.”

Official said that,”We are also examining possibility of provisions being misused specially Section 509A, IPC”.