Centre likely to bring proposal to rename India as Bharat in Parliament special session

The Narendra Modi-led government is likely to bring up a proposal to rename India as Bharat during the special session of Parliament from September 18-22. The demand to rename India as Bharat by amending the Constitution has intensified. Due to this, the Centre might bring in a fresh resolution fir the same, India Today reported citing sources.

The development comes after G20 Summit 2023 invites, from the President Draupadi Murmu's office, which read "The President of Bharat" instead of “President of India” came out in the public domain. The G20 Summit 2023 invites triggered a Congress versus BJP debate.

Soon after the official communique to G20 delegates came out, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and slammed the Modi government.

“So the news is indeed true. Rashtrapati Bhawan 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,” Ramesh said in his post.

He further said that PM Modi "can continue to distort history and divider India, that is Bharat, that is a Union of States" while adding that the opposition will not be deterred.

Ramesh added: “Mr. Modi can continue to distort history and divide India, that is Bharat, that is a Union of States. But we will not be deterred. After all, what is the objective of INDIA parties? It is BHARAT—Bring Harmony, Amity, Reconciliation And Trust. Judega BHARAT, Jeetega INDIA!”

Moreover, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scared of the word India. Tiwari said: "PM Modi had given names like 'Make in India', 'Skill India', 'Khelo India'...They (BJP) are scared of the word 'India', Article 1 of the Constitution says 'India, that is Bharat'...How can this name (India) be removed...?"

Article 1 of the Constitution says that “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”. Article 1 of the Constitution recognises both, India and Bharat as the official names that can be used for the country. 

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said in a post on X formerly known as Twitter that he hopes the government "will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with India" while there is no constitutional objection to calling India as Bharat. He added that India has "incalculable brand value built up over centuries". 

 Moreover, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took a jibe at the ruling BJP and said that the saffron party decided to change the name of India to Bharat because it is thinking that its vote count will decrease.

"If an alliance of some parties become India, would they change the name of the country? The country belongs to 140 crore people, not to a party. Let's assume if the India alliance renames itself as Bharat, would they rename Bharat as BJP then?... What's this joke?... BJP is thinking that their vote count will decrease so they should change the name of Bharat," Kejriwal said.

Reacting to Congress’ remarks, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda questioned the party’s objections to every work done for the 'honour and glory' of the country.

 “Why do doing political tours in the name of Bharat Jodo hate the slogan of Bharat Mata Ki Jai? It is clear that Congress neither respects the country, nor the Constitution, nor the constitutional institutions. It only aims to praise one family (Gandhis). The entire country knows very well the anti-national and anti-constitutional intentions of Congress," Nadda said.

Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar also took aim at Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for the latter's comments on G20 invites. 

"They have a problem with everything and I do not want to say anything for the. I am a 'Bharatwaasi', the name of my country was 'Bharat' and will remain 'Bharat' always. If Congress has a problem with this, they should find a cure for it themselves," Chandrasekhar was quoted as saying by ANI. 

The demand to rename India as Bharat is not new as BJP Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal had in the Monsoon session sought the removal of the term India from the Constitution. Bansal argued that it symbolises colonial slavery. Bansal's argument found support with BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav who said that a constitutional amendment should be brought in, in order to replace India with Bharat. 

Also Read: 'Bharat' replaces 'India' in G20 Invites: Congress slams NDA govt, BJP reacts

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