Explainer: Why does Modi's opposition alliance 'INDIA' oppose the possible name change to 'Bharat'?
Oppositions claim the possible name change is unnecessary and politically ill-motivated. They also claimed this is because of the ‘INDIA’ alliance that will stand against Modi’s BJP in the election next year
The use of 'President of Bharat' instead of the traditional 'President of India' on India's official G20 Summit invitations has sparked a buzz throughout the country.
A note on the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia on Wednesday and Thursday for the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit also uses the term 'Prime Minister of Bharat'.
The note was posted on X, formerly Twitter, by BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra and invited an immediate attack from the Congress, which pointed out that both the 'ASEAN-India Summit' and the 'Prime Minister of Bharat' were used in the same document.
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The move that comes days ahead of the Special Session of Parliament has also made India's political temperatures soar. The Narendra Modi-led government is likely to bring a resolution for changing India's official name to 'Bharat' during the special session scheduled from 18-22 September, reported Times Now on Tuesday.
The name change controversy has already brought in many criticisms towards Modi's BJP, especially the Congress-led new alliance called 'INDIA,' which stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance and comprises 26 opposition parties, has not taken the name change lightly.
Oppositions claim the possible name change is unnecessary and politically ill-motivated. They also claimed this is because of the 'INDIA' alliance that will stand against Modi's BJP in the election next year.
"So the news is indeed true. Rashtrapati Bhawan [President's palace] has sent an invite for a G20 dinner on 9 September in the name of 'President of Bharat' instead of the usual 'President of India,'" Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote in microblogging platform X, formerly known a Twitter.
"Article 1 of the Constitution can read: 'Bharat, that was India, shall be a Union of States. But now even this 'Union of States' is under assaults," he wrote, opposing such name change.
Tamil Nadu CM and DMK Chief MK Stalin took it another step further, claiming Modi's wish to change India's name came after they had formed the opposition alliance.
Chairperson of Social Media and Digital Platforms of Congress Supriya Shrinate also brought the Indian Constitution into the discussion while also claiming Modi is "absolutely scared and frightened" of the new alliance.
"Article 1 of the Constitution says that we will be known both by India and the name Bharat. The reality is that the PM is absolutely scared and frightened of INDIA, which is why, in his bid to counter us, he is willing to change the name of our country," she said.
"Who changes the name of their motherland? And that is what the PM is trying to do. You may hate us (INDIA alliance). Think of us as your political enemies and political opponents. Why wage a war against India? The issues that plague India also plague Bharat," she added.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questions the necessity of such a change.
"There's nothing new to be done. The world knows us as India. What happened suddenly that the name of the country needs to be changed?"
Does the name 'Bharat' not hold any ground?
Surprisingly, India's constitution does mention both India and Bharat, as mentioned in Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh's X post.
The country's Constitution contains the phrase "India, that is Bharat."
The name India is an Anglicization of the Sanskrit word for the Indus river, sindhu, and was introduced during the Crown's rule over India from 1858 to 1947. The name Bharat, also Sanskrit, originates from ancient Hindu religious texts, the Puranas.
When India gained independence from British rule in 1947, it faced the question of what name to adopt as the official name for the newly formed nation.
Given India's linguistic and cultural diversity, it was decided to use both "Bharat" and "India" in the Constitution. Article 1 of the Indian Constitution states, "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." This compromise acknowledged the historical and cultural significance of both names, reports the Times of India.
Over the years, "India" became the more commonly used name, especially in international contexts where it was more easily recognized. "Bharat" continued to be used in Hindi and other Indian languages.
Hindi and English were designated as the official languages of India, with Hindi being the official language of the Indian government.
"Bharat" still remains an important part of India's cultural and linguistic identity. It is used in literature, poetry, and various cultural expressions to evoke a sense of heritage and tradition.
