'Anti-national' inserted in Constitution in 1976, removed a year later: Government

The word 'anti-national' has not been defined in the statutes but was first inserted in the Constitution during the Emergency in 1976 and subsequently removed a year later, Union minister Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Rai was replying to a question by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who asked whether the government has defined the meaning of 'anti-national' under any legislation or any other legal enactment enforced in the country.

Owaisi also asked whether the Supreme Court has prescribed any guidelines to deal with crimes relating to 'anti-national' activity. "The word 'anti-national' has not been defined in the statutes. However, there are criminal legislation and various judicial pronouncements to sternly deal with unlawful and subversive activities which are detrimental to the unity and integrity of the country," Rai said in the written reply.

The minister of state for home said it is relevant to mention that the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, inserted in Article 31D (during Emergency) defined "anti-national activity" and this Article 31D was subsequently omitted by the 43rd Amendment Act, 1977.