Will they name country as BJP, if INDIA bloc changes its name to Bharat: Kejriwal
"INDIA has been formed and the BJP is feeling that how they will get 4 more votes. They are doing all this merely for votes. This is a betrayal of the country," he added.
NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing controversy over using the name of the country as 'Bharat' instead of 'India', Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday took a dig at the Centre asking whether they would change the name of the nation to Bharatiya Janata Party if INDIA bloc gets changed into Bharat. Addressing a press conference here, Kejriwal said that the BJP-led government is doing so because the Opposition bloc has given itself the name that is – INDIA.
"I do not have any official information regarding it, but got to know through the press. This is being done because INDIA is a coalition of Opposition parties. Will they change the name of the country if someone makes a party with its name? This is a country of 140 cr people. What if the INDIA bloc decides to change its name to Bharat after holding a meeting tomorrow? Will they then change the name of Bharat to BJP?" the Delhi CM said. He further said that the BJP is doing this because they are worried about the votes.
"INDIA has been formed and the BJP is feeling that how they will get 4 more votes. They are doing all this merely for votes. This is a betrayal of the country," he added. 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. Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan also welcomed the move of the President to use Bharat instead on India 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" the minister said.