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- Published: September 5, 2023 18:18
New Delhi: Ahead of the G 20 Summit, a dinner invite by the Rashtrapati Bhawan to the delegation of foreign countries for this weekend Summit has sparked off a political storm. Opposition parties led by the Congress launched a scathing attack on Modi government, accusing it of ‘blatant abuse of power’ to change the ‘nature & character’ of country.
Congress asked the Centre to drop its hatred towards INDIA while AAP co-ordinator Arvind Kejriwal mocked the idea of name change from ‘India to Bharat’.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the other hand, downplayed the Opposition charges and asked why the INDIA bloc was so ‘distraught & flustered’ over name Bharat.
Modi government has convened special session of Parliament from Sept 18 to Sept 22 and reports indicate that a resolution may be brought for effecting name change. However, there is no official statement in this regard and it is currently only speculation. The ‘leaked’ G20 dinner invite today, with its title change from President of India to President of Bharat added fresh twist to the controversy.
Opposition, BJP spar over India Vs Bharat
Congress was first to slam the Centre for title change on Presidential invite and called it an assault on the Union of States.
Cong spokesperson Pawan Khera advised the Modi dispensation to restrain its aversion towards I.N.D.I.A and said that BJP has reduced itself to a laughing stock.
#WATCH | Congress leader Pawan Khera says, “PM Modi is now having a problem with the India name and he is changing its name to ‘Bharat’. The whole world is laughing at him… We have no problem that you hate us, our ideology and our leaders but do not hate India, Indians…” pic.twitter.com/ZaFUGJGvli
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
Another Cong leader Mani Shankar Iyer said that BJP was scared of I.N.D.I.A bloc. He also refuted the logic and asked how India is a symbol of colonialsim when it is inscribed in our constitution.
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee questioned the motive behind changing the nomenclature on President of India’s invite, which apparently happened for the first time.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal mocked the move and asked, “what will BJP do if we change the name of alliance from India to Bharat?”
#WATCH | Delhi: “If an alliance of some parties become India, would they change the name of the country? The country belongs to 140 crore people, not to a party. Let’s assume if the India alliance renames itself as Bharat, would they rename Bharat as BJP then?… What’s this… pic.twitter.com/NGfyY9J9P7
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
BJP welcomes move
BJP however was quick to reject the Opposition’s charges of changing the very basis of nation’s foundation with its ‘arbitrary & vague’ decisions. Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan said Bharat is our introduction while BJP President JP Nadda asked, “Why do people doing political tours in the name of Bharat Jodo hate the slogan of Bharat Mata Ki Jai?
#WATCH | Delhi: On G20 Summit dinner invitations at Rashtrapati Bhawan sent in the name of ‘President of Bharat’, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, “This should have happened earlier. This gives great satisfaction to the mind. ‘Bharat’ is our introduction. We are proud of… pic.twitter.com/aQ0Pm4JYOk
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also took to X and welcomed the move and wrote, “Republic of Bharat- happy and proud that our civilisation is marching ahead boldly towards Amrit Kaal.”