Name Change Alert: ‘Bharat’ for India in G20 Dinner Invite
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan posted a screenshot of the G20 dinner invitation bearing the name ‘Republic of Bharat.’
Is our nation, ‘INDIA,’ about to undergo a name change to ‘Bharat’? The speculation regarding a potential name alteration by the Narendra Modi government has gained momentum following the circulation of a viral image of a G20 dinner invitation sent from Rashtrapati Bhavan, signed as the ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the usual ‘President of India’ title.
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Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, have expressed objections to the invitation. The Congress party has even accused the ruling government of attempting to rewrite history due to concerns related to the newly formed I.N.D.I.A alliance.
This controversy surrounding the G20 dinner invite emerges just before a special session of parliament, which has already generated significant speculation about its agenda.
Also Read:- India vs. Bharat: The Controversy Surrounding the Country’s Name
Congress Criticizes ‘Republic of Bharat’ G20 Invitation Numerous Congress leaders, including Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, Manish Tewari, and Shashi Tharoor, used the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to raise questions about the rumored name change of the country by the Modi government.
Indeed, the news is accurate. Rashtrapati Bhawan has issued an invitation for a G20 dinner on September 9th, addressed to the ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the customary ‘President of India.’ Now, Article 1 of the Constitution could potentially read: “Bharat, formerly known as India, shall constitute a Union of States.” However, even this concept of a “Union of States” is currently being questioned,” remarked Jairam Ramesh, Congress’s general secretary in charge of communications.
Ramesh’s fellow party member and AICC general secretary, KC Venugopal, also criticized the BJP. He stated, “The BJP’s divisive mindset is evident once again. They are attempting to create a divide between Indians and Bharatiyas. Let’s be clear – we are one and the same! As Article 1 states – India, which is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. This is a petty political move because they are apprehensive of INDIA. No matter what you try, Modi ji, Bharat and INDIA will remain united!”
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor proposed the use of both ‘India’ and ‘Bharat.’ He expressed, “While there is no constitutional objection to referring to India as ‘Bharat,’ which is one of the country’s official names, I hope the government will not make the mistake of completely abandoning ‘India,’ a name that carries immense historical and global brand value. We should continue to embrace both terms rather than relinquishing our claim to a name steeped in history and recognized worldwide,” in a post on platform X.
BJP’s Strong Indication Regarding ‘Bharat’ Undeterred by the criticism, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized the members of the I.N.D.I.A alliance, alleging that they harbor aversion towards the term ‘Bharat.’
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan shared the invitation from the President bearing the title ‘Republic of Bharat’ on his X profile.
जन गण मन अधिनायक जय हे, भारत भाग्य विधाता
जय हो 🇮🇳#PresidentOfBharat pic.twitter.com/C4RmR0uGGS
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 5, 2023
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a post on X called the move a bold step towards ‘Amrit Kaal’.
“REPUBLIC OF BHARAT – happy and proud that our civilisation is marching ahead boldly towards AMRIT KAAL”, he said.
“Now my apprehension has proven to be true. The Congress party seems to have a strong aversion towards Bharat. It appears that the name ‘I.N.D.I alliance’ was intentionally chosen with the aim of defeating BHARAT”, Sarma added.
What does Constitution of India say?
The opposition parties have cited Article 1 of the Constitution to support their arguments on ‘Bharat’ vs ‘India’ row. Here’s what the article states:-
“(1) India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
(2) The States and the territories thereof shall be as specified in the First Schedule.
(3) The territory of India shall comprise —
(a) the territories of the States;
(b) the Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and
(c) such other territories as may be acquire”.
(3) The territory of India shall comprise —
(a) the territories of the States;
(b) the Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and
(c) such other territories as may be acquire”.
