Controversy Erupts Over using ‘President of Bharat’ in G20 Invite: Opposition attacks government

New Delhi, Sep 05, 2023: The use of ‘President of Bharat’ instead of ‘President of India’ in official invites for the G20 summit has ignited a political firestorm, with opposition leaders expressing concern while the BJP defends the move.

Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s Chief Minister, questioned if the country’s name would change to ‘BJP’ if the opposition alliance INDIA renamed itself ‘Bharat’. Raghav Chadha, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP, emphasized that the nation doesn’t belong to any political party, and national identity isn’t personal property.

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal’s Chief Minister, highlighted that the world recognizes the country as India and questioned if Rabindranath Tagore’s name would be changed next. RJD leader Manoj Jha emphasized that neither India nor Bharat could be taken away. Congress accused the Modi government of distorting history and dividing India.

On the other hand, BJP leaders welcomed the use of ‘Bharat’ and accused Congress of being anti-national. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed pride in the wording. JP Nadda, BJP President, criticized Congress for its objections, alleging that the party has no respect for the country or the Constitution.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called the decision a statement against the colonial mindset, emphasizing that ‘Bharat’ is a source of pride. Amitabh Bachchan’s post, “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” (victory to Mother India), was also linked to the controversy.

The use of ‘President of Bharat’ in the G20 invite has become a focal point for political debate, reflecting the diverse perspectives on national identity and nomenclature.