New Delhi: The government is ready to introduce a bill to bring new penal provisions under existing criminal laws in the new Parliament session that will make racial discrimination of any kind a criminal offence.

The Union home ministry has finalised amendments to the criminal law, bringing in fresh IPC sections. The law ministry has cleared the amendments, that will soon be place before the Cabinet for its approval.

Under the new sections in the IPC, making derogatory remarks on race, culture or physical appearance could invite a five-year jail term.

The NDA government had last year set up a high-level panel to study attacks on people from the Northeast in Delhi and elsewhere in India. The Bezbaruah Committee, in its report submitted to home minister Rajnath Singh, proposed bringing an anti-racial law among other steps. The government may add two provisions to the Indian Penal Code, amending the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013. Sections 153C and 509A may be inserted in IPC.

The jail provision will exist even if any person is “likely to cause fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity among members of racial groups.”