NEW DELHI: Many opposition leaders have questioned the rationale behind government replacing ‘India’s with ‘Bharat’ in official communication of the government.
The term ‘India’ was first replaced on an invitation by President Droupadi Murmu for an official dinner to G20 leaders and Indian officials, where ‘President of Bharat’ was used instead of ‘President of India.

Prominent members of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, such as Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Shashi Tharoor, Raghav Chadha, Tejashwi Yadav, Jairam Ramesh, and Gaurav Gogoi, are at the forefront of this discussion. They have hinted at the possibility that their alliance might be causing unease within the central government led by Narendra Modi.

Look at how confused the Modi government is! The Prime Minister of Bharat at the 20th ASEAN-India summit.

All this drama just because the Opposition got together and called itself INDIA pic.twitter.com/AbT1Ax8wrO

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 5, 2023

The debate gained momentum when Congress MP, Jairam Ramesh initiated the discussion on ‘Bharat’ vs. ‘India’ on social media platform X. Many political leaders subsequently joined the conversation.

READ MORE: Article 1 amendment needed for renaming India as Bharat: Expert

Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha added a touch of humor to the discourse by suggesting that the Opposition coalition could contemplate a rebranding from INDIA to BHARAT. In a lighthearted post on X, Chadha quipped, “We might consider changing the name of our alliance to BHARAT in the next meeting. Meanwhile, the BJP should now start thinking of a new name for the country.”

The BJP’s recent move to change the reference from ‘President of India’ to ‘President of Bharat’ on official G20 summit invitations has raised eyebrows and ignited a public debate. How can the BJP strike down ‘INDIA’? The country doesn’t belong to a political party; it belongs to… pic.twitter.com/riYNdQBkYa

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) September 5, 2023

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, also shared an article titled ‘Bharat or India? In 2015, the government told SC: ‘No need to change name.’ Tharoor emphasized that the focus should remain on pressing issues rather than names. Meanwhile, Congress leader Sandeep Dixit, during a press conference in Bhopal, stressed that names should not overshadow crucial matters. He pointed out that the term ‘India that is Bharat’ is in the Constitution and has cultural significance. Dixit urged the BJP to concentrate on development, inflation, employment, and corruption.

No comment. Happy to agree with the Government on this! pic.twitter.com/3bGbl3CbaA

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 5, 2023

READ MORE: Explainer: Why political parties oppose one nation, one election

Rahul Gandhi shared his perspective in a tweet on ‘X,’ stating, “INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Union and all its States.”

INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States.

The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Union and all its States.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 3, 2023

Other leaders like Manoj Jha, through a shared video, suggested that the government’s attempts to challenge the alliance might inadvertently strengthen it. He highlighted the I.N.D.I.A alliance’s slogan, “Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA”. Bihar’s deputy minister Tejashwi Yadav echoed this sentiment in a press-conference, emphasizing that their slogan encompasses both ‘India’ and ‘Bharat,’ signifying their commitment to the nation’s welfare beyond a mere name.

Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil further added to the discussion, suggesting that the BJP is uneasy about the INDIA alliance. He pointed out the inseparable connection between Bharat and India and indicated that the BJP’s unease is the driving force behind their current narrative.

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