According to Indian media sources, the Narendra Modi government is considering renaming India “Bharat,” and a resolution to that effect is expected to be tabled in the country’s parliament soon.
According to India Today, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government may introduce a proposal to rename India “Bharat” at a special session of parliament scheduled from September 18-22.
The reports about renaming came to light when India’s invitation to foreign leaders attending the G20 summit revealed that the phrase “President of Bharat” was used in place of “President of India” for the first time in the country’s history.
President Droupadi Murmu’s invitation to G20 foreign leaders and chief ministers for a luncheon on September 9 says “President of Bharat” rather than “President of India,” according to NDTV.
According to NDTV, the term “Bharat” is also in the Indian Constitution.
Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam, was among the first to applaud the government’s decision.
“REPUBLIC OF BHARAT – happy and proud that our civilization is marching boldly ahead towards AMRIT KAAL,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
While BJP leaders applauded the action, the opposition reacted angrily, linking it to the name of their front to oppose the BJP in 2024, INDIA, or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
“…It has only been a few weeks since we named our alliance INDIA, and the BJP has started sending invitations with ‘Republic of Bharat’ instead of ‘Republic of India,'” RJD leader Manoj Jha remarked. Article 1 of the Constitution states, ‘India that is Bharat’. You will not be able to remove India from us or Bharat.”
“Will the BJP replace ‘Bharat’ with something else if the INDIA alliance changes its name to Bharat?” asked Arvind Kejriwal, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.
Over the last few years, the Modi regime has changed the names of various cities and places named after Muslim famous people. courting the ire of the minority in the country.
