India to be renamed ‘Bharat’
The Narendra Modi-led government is reportedly considering a proposal to change India’s official name to ‘Bharat’ during the upcoming special session of Parliament, scheduled from September 18-22, according to a report by Times Now on Tuesday.
Furthermore, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has corroborated this information, revealing that invitations for the official G20 dinner hosted by the Indian President now bear the title ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the customary ‘President of India’.
To quote Ramesh directly, “So it is accurate to say that Rashtrapati Bhawan has issued invitations for a G20 dinner on September 9th in the name of ‘President of Bharat,’ deviating from the usual ‘President of India.‘ This development prompts us to reconsider Article 1 in the Constitution, which may read: ‘Bharat, formerly known as India, shall constitute a Union of States.’ Nevertheless, the very essence of this ‘Union of States’ is currently facing considerable challenges,” as stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
BJP Expresses Support for the Name ‘Bharat’
On Tuesday, several BJP leaders, including the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sharma, voiced their support for renaming the country as ‘Bharat.’
In a social media post on X, Sarma wrote, “REPUBLIC OF BHARAT – I am delighted and proud that our civilization is boldly advancing towards the era of ‘AMRIT KAAL.‘”
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized, “Our nation is undeniably ‘Bharat,‘ and there should be no room for doubt about this fact. The Congress appears to take issue with every aspect.”
Additionally, RSS chief, during his address in Guwahati, underscored the historical continuity of the name ‘Bharat’ and its significance. He stated, “The name ‘Bharat’ has been our country’s identity for countless generations. Regardless of the language used, this name remains unaltered,” while speaking at an event organized by the Sakal Jain Samaj.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal also advocated for this proposal during the recently concluded monsoon session in the Upper House, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and preserving the name ‘Bharat.’
The term ‘India’ is viewed as a symbol of “colonial subjugation” and is suggested to be removed from the Constitution.
According to ANI, a Rajya Sabha MP had argued, “The British altered the name of Bharat to India. Article 1 of the Constitution stipulates: ‘India, that is Bharat’. Our nation has been recognized as ‘Bharat’ for centuries, with this name deeply rooted in ancient Sanskrit texts. The name ‘India’ was imposed by the colonial British Raj, signifying an era of subjugation. It is therefore proposed that ‘India’ be expunged from the Constitution.”
The BJP has been consistently criticizing the new opposition alliance, INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), by asserting that the term ‘India’ is a vestige of colonial history. This recent move is likely a response to the opposition bloc’s formation.
Union Minister of State for Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, responded to the Opposition’s criticism regarding the ‘President of Bharat‘ G20 invitation, asserting that the country is ‘Bharat,’ and there is no issue with acknowledging it. He stated, “I fail to comprehend why there is any objection to stating ‘President of Bharat.’ Our nation is Bharat, and I believe there shouldn’t be any controversy surrounding this.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh made allegations that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), led by Mohan Bhagwat, aims to amend the country’s Constitution by eliminating the word ‘India’ and replacing it with ‘Bharat.’
Earlier this month, Mohan Bhagwat suggested that people should adopt the name “Bharat” instead of India and encouraged its usage.
Citing media reports that suggest the Central government is considering the removal of the word ‘India’ from the Constitution, Sanjay Singh questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mohan Bhagwat harbor such animosity towards Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who played a pivotal role in drafting the constitution.
“Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar included in the constitution the phrase – ‘India That Is Bharat.’ However, Modi and RSS, who seemingly hold strong aversions to Babasaheb, seek to alter the constitution. What is the reason for Bhagwat and Modi’s antipathy towards Babasaheb?” Sanjay Singh inquired in his post on ‘X.’
Additionally, Singh shared the provisions mentioned in Article 1 of the Constitution.
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