Just as India prepares to host the leaders of the G20 summit, the central government is embroiled in a controversy over the alleged “renaming” of India as Bharat. The controversy erupted when an invitation to a G20 dinner was sent out on behalf of India “President of Bharat” instead of the usual “President of India”, causing a stir that India was renamed.
The exercise followed – the INDIA bloc protested an “attack” on the State Union, the NDA faction welcomed the use of “Bharat” and said the word “India” was given by the British.
Although the central government has not confirmed this, if the renaming is underway, following the invitation “President of Bharat” and the bulletin “Prime Minister of Bharat”, it did not seem like an overnight decision to abolish what the center is considers it a colonial-era name.
The attack on the name “India” began when the opposition faction united and called themselves the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). That was the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi compared it to the East India Company, the Indian mujahideen and the Popular Front of India (PFI), saying they all have “India” in their names.
“East India Company, PFI, Indian Mujahideen also use ‘India’ in their names. “Chehre par chehre laga lete hai log,” Prime Minister Modi said, attacking the opposition bloc.
The same was confirmed by former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. “PM Modi has issued a statement that the Indian National Congress, the East India Company, was founded by a foreigner. “Today people use names like Indian Mujahideen and Indian Popular Front,” he said.
In his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Modi addressed the need to break free from a mindset of submission and the importance of shedding the colonial mentality.
“In no part of our existence, not even in the deepest recesses of our minds or habits, should there be a bit of slavery. It should be wedged there itself… This centuries-long slavery has bound us, has forced us to keep our feelings bound… (it) has developed in us distorted thinking. “We need to break free from the slavery mindset that is evident in countless things within and around us,” Prime Minister Modi said.
The latest attack came from Union Minister Rajnath Singh, who said the name itself is “khatarnaak (dangerous)” and using that name will undoubtedly lead to failure, while recalling the BJP’s “India Shining” slogan.
“And how is the situation here? [INDIA] Coalition? Naam Bada, Darshan Chhota. They kept the name INDIA, but I want to say to them: “Ye naam bahut khatarnaak hai.” [This name is very dangerous]. We also gave the slogan “Shining India” and lost. And now that you have made INDIA your name, your defeat is certain,” he said.
Since the invitation to the G20 dinner was sent out with the mention “President of Bharat”, several BJP leaders and NDA coalition parties have celebrated the name “Bharat”. While it remains uncertain whether the center will officially propose renaming the country Bharat, the likelihood is not remote.
