Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
India

India's government replaces 'India' with ancient name 'Bharat' in dinner invitation to G20 guests

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 05 Sep, 2023 12:33 PM
  • India's government replaces 'India' with ancient name 'Bharat' in dinner invitation to G20 guests

NEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has replaced the name India with a Sanskrit word in dinner invitations sent to guests attending this week's Group of 20 summit, in a move that reflects his Hindu nationalist party’s efforts to eliminate what it sees as colonial-era names.

Indian President Droupadi Murmu is referred to as “President of Bharat” instead of “President of India” in the invitation sent to G20 attendees. The nation of more than 1.4 billion people is officially known by two names, India and Bharat, but the former is most commonly used, both domestically and internationally.

Bharat is an ancient Sanskrit word which many historians believe dates back to early Hindu texts. The word also means India in Hindi.

The change in nomenclature is backed by officials of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. They argue that the name India was introduced by British colonials and is a “symbol of slavery.” The British ruled India for about 200 years until the country gained independence in 1947.

“Another blow to slavery mentality,” the top elected official of Uttarakhand state, Pushkar Singh Dhami, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Dhami, who is a leader of Modi's governing party, shared the dinner invitation sent to G20 guests in his post.

Modi’s party has long tried to erase names related to India’s Mughal and colonial past.

In 2015, New Delhi’s famous Aurangzeb Road, named after a Mughal king, was changed to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road after protests from Modi’s party leaders. Last year, the government also renamed a colonial-era avenue in the heart of New Delhi that is used for ceremonial military parades.

Modi’s government says the name changes are an effort to reclaim India’s Hindu past.

India’s opposition parties, however, criticized the move.

“While there is no constitutional objection to calling India “Bharat,” which is one of the country’s two official names, I hope the government will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with “India,” which has incalculable brand value built up over centuries,” opposition lawmaker Shashi Tharoor said on X.

Tharoor said Indians should “continue to use both words rather than relinquish our claim to a name redolent of history, a name that is recognized around the world.”

Disputes over “India” versus “Bharat” have gained ground since opposition parties in July announced a new alliance — called INDIA — to unseat Modi and defeat his party ahead of national elections in 2024. The acronym stands for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

Since then, some officials in Modi’s party have demanded that the country be called Bharat instead of India.

MORE India ARTICLES

Incomplete bridge crashes on Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi corridor

Incomplete bridge crashes on Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi corridor
There are no casualties in the incident, the work has been stopped, the causes are being checked and the crash site vicinity has been cordoned off, said the official of Ghoti Police Station, declining to be quoted.

Incomplete bridge crashes on Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi corridor

Mehrauli murder: Delhi court frames murder, disappearance of evidence charges against Poonawala

Mehrauli murder: Delhi court frames murder, disappearance of evidence charges against Poonawala
Poonawala pleaded not guilty of Walker's murder and the matter has now been set for trial and has been listed for recording of prosecution evidence on June 1. A charge sheet running over 6,000 pages was filed in the case.

Mehrauli murder: Delhi court frames murder, disappearance of evidence charges against Poonawala

Daring robbery in Delhi: CCTV footage reveals clues as police probe inside link

Daring robbery in Delhi: CCTV footage reveals clues as police probe inside link
According to police, a group of masked robbers infiltrated the residence of the victim, who is involved in the paper trading business and is the son of a contractor, in Ashok Vihar early Saturday morning by cutting through window grills.

Daring robbery in Delhi: CCTV footage reveals clues as police probe inside link

NCB official who investigated Aryan Khan case removed from service

NCB official who investigated Aryan Khan case removed from service
The NCB, led by its then Mumbai head Sameer Wankhede, had on October 2, 2021, carried out a high-profile raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai harbour and arrested 20 persons, including Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.

NCB official who investigated Aryan Khan case removed from service

Excise scam: Court extends Sisodia's judicial custody till May 23

Excise scam: Court extends Sisodia's judicial custody till May 23
The ED has alleged that Sisodia was the mastermind behind the entire excise policy case and that he had deliberately leaked the policy to the co-accused to generate financial kickbacks. Sisodia is currently in judicial custody. 

Excise scam: Court extends Sisodia's judicial custody till May 23

Punjab to launch drive to preserve flora & fauna, says CM

Punjab to launch drive to preserve flora & fauna, says CM
Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of the Chitti Bein in Simbli in Hoshiarpur district, the Chief Minister said Punjab is a sacred land of great Gurus and saints, who have shown the way to preserve the environment. He said, following in the footsteps of the Gurus, the government would soon embark upon a campaign to preserve the natural resources of the state. 

Punjab to launch drive to preserve flora & fauna, says CM