The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is reportedly considering a resolution to officially change the country’s name to ‘Bharat’ during a special session of Parliament scheduled from September 18-22. This move has garnered support from multiple leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh confirmed that official G20 dinner invitations sent by the Indian President were addressed as ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the usual ‘President of India.’
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar defended the proposal, stating, “Our country is ‘Bharat’; there should be no doubt about this.” He criticized the opposition Congress party, which has raised objections to the name change.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu nationalist organization led by its chief Mohan Bhagwat, has also advocated for using the name ‘Bharat’ instead of ‘India.’ Bhagwat mentioned that the name ‘Bharat’ has ancient roots and should be embraced.
During the recent monsoon session in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), BJP Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal proposed removing the name ‘India’ from the Constitution, arguing that it was a symbol of colonial slavery.
However, not all political leaders are in favor of the name change. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the RSS wants to alter the country’s Constitution by removing the word ‘India’ in favor of ‘Bharat.’
The potential name change from ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ has sparked a debate in India, with differing opinions on the historical and cultural significance of the names.
