Is India Bharat Now? G20 Dinner Invite Creates Uproar

In a recent critique aimed at the BJP-led central government, veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has raised concerns over the use of ‘President of Bharat’ on invites to a G20 summit dinner, which is set to take place at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on September 9th. Traditionally, such invitations bear the title ‘President of India.’

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed his reservations, stating, “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’.” He further added, “Now, Article 1 in the Constitution can read: ‘Bharat, that was India, shall be a Union of States. But now even this ‘Union of States’ is under assault.”

The G20 Summit is scheduled to take place in the national capital from September 9th to 10th, and numerous world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, are expected to attend.

In his statement, Jairam Ramesh criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting, “Mr. Modi can continue to distort history and divide India, that is Bharat, that is a Union of States. But we will not be deterred.”

He went on to emphasize the unity and harmony among India’s diverse population, saying, “After all, what is the objective of INDIA parties? It is BHARAT—Bring Harmony, Amity, Reconciliation And Trust. Judega BHARAT! Jeetega INDIA!”

Adding to this debate, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma voiced his support for the use of ‘REPUBLIC OF BHARAT,’ expressing pride in the nation’s progress toward “AMRIT KAAL.”

This controversy arises in the wake of earlier remarks by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), led by Mohan Bhagwat, seeks to amend the country’s Constitution by replacing the term ‘India’ with ‘Bharat.’ Sanjay Singh referenced Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s use of “India That Is Bharat” in the Constitution and questioned the motives behind such proposed changes.

It’s worth noting that Mohan Bhagwat had previously advocated for the use of the name “Bharat” instead of “India,” urging the public to embrace this shift.