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Amid the speculations surrounding the special session of Indian Parliament from Sept 18-22, it is now being hinted that India could hereafter be formally renamed as ‘Bharat’. There are umpteen hints dropped from ruling dispensation thus far.
While BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav told ANI, “The entire country is demanding that we should use the word ‘Bharat’ instead of ‘India’…The word ‘India’ is an abuse given to us by the British whereas the word ‘Bharat’ is a symbol of our culture…I want there should be a change in our Constitution and the word ‘Bharat’ should be added to it…”.
A viral video is also doing rounds wherein RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat is insisting that India should be renamed as Bharat and there is no need to bother about what the world thinks or if they understand the relevance of it. He is heard saying that world now needs India rather than the other way round.
Congress party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh too reacted on the issue saying on platform X
“So the news is indeed true. Rashtrapati Bhawan has sent out an invite for a G20 dinner on Sept 9th in the name of ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the usual ‘President of India’. Now, Article 1 in the Constitution can read: “Bharat, that was India, shall be a Union of States.” But now even this “Union of States” is under assault”.
When asked about the G20 Summit dinner invitations at Rashtrapati Bhawan sent in the name of ‘President of Bharat’, the Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, “I don’t understand what is the problem with this? Our country is ‘Bharat’… Congress have a problem with everything. I don’t have a problem with ‘Bharat’…Our country is ‘Bharat’ and there should be no doubts about it. We have to wait and see if it will be a part of the Special Session (of Parliament)”.
Congress leader and Parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor is of the opinion that ”while there is no constitutional objection to calling India “Bharat”, which is one of the country’s two official names, I hope the government will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with “India”, which has incalculable brand value built up over centuries. We should continue to use both words rather than relinquish our claim to a name redolent of history, a name that is recognised around the world”
