External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar weighs in on the ‘India-Bharat’ dispute, claiming that Bharat is reflected in India’s Constitution.
S. Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, chimed in on the contentious “India-Bharat” controversy and claimed that Bharat has a certain meaning that is reflected in the Indian Constitution. Rumors that Rashtrapati Bhawan intended to stop using the English name of the nation as the official one were stoked after invitations to a G20 luncheon on September 9 were sent out on behalf of the “President of Bharat” instead of the “President of India.”
In light of the government’s continued secrecy regarding the legislative agenda for the special session of Parliament that has been called for later this month, some news reports suggested that BJP MPs would introduce a special resolution to give the name “Bharat” precedence, which would elicit both opposition and fervent support.
The Constitution mentions India, often known as Bharat. Everyone is welcome to read it, I kindly ask,” Jaishankar added.
The minister was questioned over the response from the opposition parties and whether the government planned to rebrand India as Bharat in time for the G20 Summit.
“Look, when you say Bharat in a sense, there is a meaning, an understanding, and a connotation that come with it, and that is reflected in our Constitution as well,” said Jaishankar.
In Indian languages, India is also known as Bharat and Hindustan, which were its pre-colonial designations. Both the general public and the government use these names interchangeably.
The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attempted to eliminate remaining reminders of British rule over the years by replacing colonial names in an effort to, as it claims, aid India in overcoming a mindset of enslavement.
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi stated that his party is committed to fighting for both India and Bharat, whereas the BJP has prioritized India over Bharat. He claimed that the BJP looks reluctant to accept that the India alliance has earned popular support and that a growing enmity has emerged inside the BJP ranks as a result of the India alliance’s development.
“The BJP is constantly attempting to divert attention away from important issues such as inflation, unemployment, and a probe into Adani, China, Ladakh, J&K, and Manipur.” We work for India and Bharat, but the BJP works for India versus Bharat,” he continued.
Ratnavali