'Bharat' row
After President's invite, now a note calling 'Prime Minister Of Bharat' adds fuel to name change row
New Delhi/IBNS: Even as the dinner invite to G20 leaders from President Droupadi Murmu sparked controversy and speculation over the country's name change after using the term 'President of Bharat' instead of the traditional 'President of India' on Tuesday, another document has come to light that refers to Narendra Modi as the 'Prime Minister of Bharat'.
This time a note on PM Modi's visit to Indonesia on Wednesday and Thursday for the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit refers to him as the 'Prime Minister of Bharat'.
The note was posted on X, formerly Twitter, by BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra and invited an immediate attack from the Congress.
‘The Prime Minister Of Bharat’ pic.twitter.com/lHozUHSoC4
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) September 5, 2023
The Congress pointed out that both the 'ASEAN-India Summit' and the 'Prime Minister of Bharat' were used in the same document.
"Look at how confused the Modi government is! The Prime Minister of Bharat at the 20th ASEAN-India summit. All this drama just because the Opposition got together and called itself INDIA," Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on the platform.
Look at how confused the Modi government is! The Prime Minister of Bharat at the 20th ASEAN-India summit.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 5, 2023
All this drama just because the Opposition got together and called itself INDIA 🤦🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/AbT1Ax8wrO
The identity cards of Indian officials at the G20 Summit on Sept 9 and 10 will also read 'Bharat - Official', said reports.
There is already a buzz that the name of the country might be changed to 'Bharat' from 'India' after President Droupadi Murmu's invitation to G20 leaders introduced her as the "President of Bharat" instead of the traditional "President of India".
Moreover, the suspense over the agenda of the Parliament's special session, to be held from Sept 18-22, called by the Centre, has added fuel to the speculation on the country's name change.
The opposition has linked the possible move to its 28-party alliance calling itself 'INDIA' and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has questioned what the Centre will do if the bloc decides to rename itself 'Bharat'.
"Will BJP replace 'Bharat' with something else, if INDIA alliance changes its name to Bharat?" Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal questioned.
"What happened suddenly that you will change the name of the country?" questioned Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, pointing out that while in Hindi, the term "Bharat ka Samvidhan (Constitution of India)" is used, "the world knows us by the name of India".
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