[Representation]
New Delhi: Narendra Modi government at the Centre is inviting wrath of the opposition parties after an invitation letter of G20 Summit replacing "India" with "Bharat" surfaced on social media.
“The BJP's recent move to change the reference from 'President of India' to 'President of Bharat' on official G20 summit invitations has raised eyebrows and ignited a public debate”, Aam Aamdi Party (AAP) leader and a Member of Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha, said.
Raghav Chadha was among the first to respond to the invitation letter issued by the Protocol Section of Ministry of External Affairs. The letter about a dinner hosted by the President of India on Saturday 09, 2023 on the occasion of G20 Summit 2023 addressed the Union of India Head as “President of Bharat”.
“How can the BJP strike down 'INDIA'?” he wondered. “The country doesn't belong to a political party. It belongs to 135 crore Indians. Our national identity is not the BJP's personal property that it can modify on whims and fancies”, he said.
“How can the BJP strike down 'INDIA'?” he wondered.
“The country doesn't belong to a political party. It belongs to 135 crore Indians. Our national identity is not the BJP's personal property that it can modify on whims and fancies”, he said.
Congress leader and a Member of Lok Sabha Shashi Tharoor also criticised the move warning the Narendra Modi government to refrain from spoiling, what he called, the “incalculable brand value built up over centuries”.
“While there is no constitutional objection to calling India “Bharat”, which is one of the country’s two official names, I hope the government will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with “India”, which has incalculable brand value built up over centuries”, he wrote on social media site X.
“We should continue to use both words rather than relinquish our claim to a name redolent of history, a name that is recognised around the world”, he added.
The Congress Party later officially responded after Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan shared the G20 dinner invitation on X (formerly Twitter) from President Murmu which described her position as “President of Bharat”.
“So the news is indeed true. Rashtrapati Bhawan has 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’,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
The party also accused PM Modi of distorting history and dividing the country.
“Mr. (Narendra) Modi can continue to distort history and divide India, that is Bharat, that is a Union of States. But we will not be deterred”, Ramesh said.
The Ministry of External Affairs meanwhile declined to comment on use of the term “Bharat”, saying President’s office will respond, according to The Hindu.
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