What changed suddenly that we should use only Bharat": Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: Amid the controversy, triggered after the invitation for the G20 dinner sent out in the name of 'President of Bharat' and not India, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that history is being rewritten in the country. The Trinamool Congress supremo questioned the Centre and asked what changed suddenly that we should use only Bharat.

Also Read: "Union of States 'under assault', cites 'President of Bharat' in G20 dinner invite"

..Today, they (Centre) changed the name of India. In the invitation card for the G20 Summit dinner, it is mentioned 'Bharat'...In English, we say 'India' and the 'Indian Constitution' and in Hindi, we say 'Bharat ka Samvidhan'. We all say 'Bharat', what is new in this? But the name 'India' is known to the world...What happened suddenly that they had to change the name of the country?... History is being rewritten in the country," CM Mamata said. Earlier in the day, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh claimed that Rashtrapati Bhawan has sent out an invite for a G20 dinner on September 9 in the name of 'President of Bharat' instead of the usual 'President of India'. Ramesh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “distorting history and dividing India” and said the objective of parties in the INDIA bloc is also "BHARAT - Bring Harmony, Amity, Reconciliation And Trust."

“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'. 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,” Ramesh said on ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter.

“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. After all, what is the objective of INDIA parties? It is BHARAT—Bring Harmony, Amity, Reconciliation And Trust. Judega BHARAT Jeetega INDIA!” he added. Meanwhile, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar also lashed out at Congress and said that the country was Bharat and will always remain Bharat.

"They have a problem with everything and I do not want to say anything for them. I am a 'Bharatwaasi', the name of my country was 'Bharat' and will remain 'Bharat' always. If Congress has a problem with this, they should find a cure for it themselves," the Union Minister said while speaking to ANI. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also endorsed the President for using Bharat on the official G20 invitation.

'Bharat' is our introduction. We are proud of it. The President has given priority to 'Bharat'. This is the biggest statement to come out of the colonial mindset"said the Minister.