In 1976, the Congress Party set
up the Sardar Swaran Singh Committee
to make recommendations about fundamental duties, the need and necessity of
which was felt during the operation of the internal emergency (1975–1977).
The committee recommended the
inclusion of a separate chapter on fundamental duties in the Constitution. It
stressed that the citizens should become conscious that in addition to the
enjoyment of rights, they also have certain duties to perform as well. The
Congress Government enacted the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1976. This amendment added a new part,
namely, Part IVA to the Constitution.
This new part consists of only one Article, that is, Article 51A which for the first time specified a code of
fundamental duties of the citizens.
According to Article 51 A, it
shall be the duty of every citizen of India:
(a) To abide by the Constitution
and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National
Anthem;
(b) To cherish and follow the
noble ideals that inspired the national struggle for freedom;
(c) To uphold and protect the
sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
(d) To defend the country and render national service when called upon to do
so;
(e) To promote harmony and the
spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending
religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce
practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
(f) To value and preserve the
rich heritage of the country’s composite culture;
(g) To protect and
improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers
and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
(h) To develop scientific temper, humanism and the
spirit of inquiry and reform;
(i) To safeguard public property
and to abjure violence;
(j) To strive towards excellence
in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation
constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement; and
(k) To provide opportunities for education to his child or ward between the
age of six and fourteen years. (added by 86th Constitutional
amendment act, 2002)