Sedition law to stay, says government

New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that it has no proposal to scarp the colonial era sedition law under which inciting hatred against the government is a punishable offence.

"There is no proposal to scrap the provision under the Indian Penal Code dealing with the offence of sedition. There is a need to retain the provision to effectively combat anti-national, secessionist and terrorist elements," Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said.

Rai was responding to a question raised by Telangana member Banda Prakash.

The sedition law states that whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the government shall be jailed without or with fine.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier emphasized the need to make the sedition law stronger to deal with "anti national' elements.