BJP pitches Bharat vs India

NEW DELHI: Exhibiting its ability to script and retain the national political narrative, the Centre-ruling BJP caught the opposition parties off guard using just an invitation card that referred to President Droupadi Murmu as President of Bharat instead of the customary ‘President of India’.

As expected, this drew immediate reaction from the rival coalition, INDIA, but the responses were carefully worded, as the parties tried to avoid getting caught in the game of names ahead of crucial Assembly polls – and possibly early general election.

The trigger was provided by Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Giriraj Singh, who shared the G20 dinner invitations from President Murmu in which she was described as President of Bharat.

The move also further fuelled the speculation that the issue of changing the name of the country could come up during the five-day special session of Parliament beginning September 18.

Sources told the media that it was a conscious decision to use Bharat instead of India, and noted how the former was used in some of the documents relating to the G20 meeting that India is hosting.

For instance, a booklet prepared for G20 delegates reads, “Bharat is the official name of the country. It is mentioned in the constitution as also in the discussions of 1946-48.”

The invitation, which was widely shared on social media, led to a storm of reactions, with the opposition alleging that the BJP was scared of the INDIA bloc while the ruling party asserted that there was nothing wrong in using Bharat as it is part of the Constitution.

“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,” alleged Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh.

“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 added.

Doubling down on the narrative, the BJP shared another official communique, this one announcing the visit of ‘Prime Minister of Bharat’ Narendra Modi to Indonesia to attend the ASEAN-India summit on September 7.

The party also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of distorting history and dividing the country.

“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.

“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 alleged.

The G20 Summit is being held in the national capital from September 9 to 10 under India’s presidency and several heads of state from across the world, including US President Joe Biden, are attending the event.

In another post, Ramesh alleged, “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!” said Ramesh, whose party is a constituent of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

Ramesh also urged people to remember that it was the BJP that came up with ‘India Shining’ to which the Congress’ response was ‘Aam Aadmi ko Kya Mila’.

“Also remember that it was the BJP that came up with Digital India, Start Up India, New India, and so on to which the Congress’ response was the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the first anniversary of whose launch is day after tomorrow,” Ramesh added.

All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal charged that the BJP wants to divide people.

“The BJP’s destructive mind can only think of how to divide people. Once again, they are creating a rift between Indians and Bharatiyas. Let’s be clear - we are the same! As Article 1 says -

India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. This is petty politics because they are scared of INDIA (alliance). Try what you will, Modi ji. Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA,” Venugopal said on X.

Congress MP and the party’s deputy leader in Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tiwari, said, “These people have started hating the word India. But the country is known as India as per our Constitution and they will have to work as per the Constitution.”

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said while there is no constitutional objection to calling India ‘Bharat’, he hopes the government will not be so foolish to completely dispense with ‘India’ which has incalculable brand value.