The discussion about writing ‘President of India’ instead of ‘President of India’ in the invitation for the dinner to be held on the night of September 9 during the G-20 conference is going on since Tuesday. Opposition leaders are fiercely besieging the ruling BJP at the Center for writing Bharat instead of President of India in the invitation letter.
Leaders of opposition parties say that this is a violation of Article-1 of the Constitution.
According to a report in The Indian Express, a booklet with the name Bharat has also been issued by the Centre. This booklet Narendra Modi to attend the ASEAN summit in Indonesia.
The screenshot of this booklet has been shared by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, on which PM Modi has been written as Prime Minister of India instead of Prime Minister of India.
What does Article-1 of the Constitution say
According to Article-1 of the constitution, India means India, which is a union of states. It was adopted in the Constituent Assembly on 18 September 1949. In simple language, both the names India and Bharat were made official and legal to be used for juridical-political purposes.
Our country is called India in English and Bharat in other Indian languages. Bharat in Dravidian and Tamil languages, Bharatam in Malayalam and Bharat Desam in Telugu. The constitution in Hindi is called ‘Constitution of India’ and Article 1 is ‘Bharat ie India, shall be a Union of States’.
What did the opposition say when Bharat was written instead of India
On the controversy that started over the name of the country, the opposition has fiercely targeted the central government and the Modi government. Furious over India being written in the invitation letter, the opposition alleged that the central government wanted to change the name India.
Arvind Kejriwal targets the Centre
Amidst this controversy, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that there is no official information about this but he has heard rumours. It is being said that this is happening because 28 parties have come together to form an alliance called India. He said, ‘The country belongs to 140 crore people and not to any one party. If the India alliance changes its name to Bharat, will they change the name Bharat too.’
Tejashwi Yadav asked a question
Mamata Banerjee said – why there was a need to change the name
Like many opposition leaders, West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee has also given her opinion on the name of Bharat instead of India. Mamta Banerjee said, ‘I have heard that the name of India is being changed. India is written on the G20 invitation letter sent in the name of the Honorable President.
In English we say India, Indian Constitution, while in Hindi we call it the Constitution of India. He said that the world knows us by the name of India. What happened suddenly that there was a need to change the name of the country.
BJP leaders also reacted
On this matter, former Lok Sabha Speaker and seven-time MP Sumitra Mahajanis said, ‘I do not understand why there should be a dispute regarding the names of India and India? The name of our country is original India.
While Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar says that those who are objecting to the name of India, they must read the constitution once. Speaking to news agency ANI, S.
Jaishankar said, ‘India that is Bharat and it is in the constitution. I would ask everyone to read it (the Constitution). When you say India, there is a meaning, an understanding and an inference and I think this is reflected in our constitution as well..’
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
On the other hand, the Chief Minister of Assam writes Republic of India on social media regarding this dispute and says why the country should have an English name? He said, ‘It is clearly written in our constitution that India is India.
The name Bharat has been in use for thousands of years. In such a situation, there is no need to give a new name to India. India was, is and will remain our country. PM Modi has also been talking about India’s glorious history, civilization on many occasions in the past."
Now the question arises whether the name India is being dropped?
In a report in India Today, Anurag Thakur says in response to this question, “Who has dropped?” No one has done it. Even while branding the G-20, India 2023 and Bharat are written. I do not understand why anyone is objecting to India being written. This branding is going on since last one year.