India, That Is Bharat

The united front that is gearing up for a strong fight against the Narendra Modi-led government in Lok Sabha elections next year, is known as INDIA. Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance -- is an ensemble of 26 opposition parties that aim to “safeguard democracy, constitution, and diversity”. Coincidentally or maybe not, soon after the announcement of the alliance name, the BJP-led Central Government referred to the country as 'Bharat' on official invitations to the much-awaited G20 Summit in New Delhi in September. 

Rumours soon sprung up over whether the name of the country would change to ‘Bharat’. But India is Bharat. “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”. That is Article 1 (1) of the Constitution. But the overt usage of the word ‘Bharat’ was visible at the G20 Summit wherein PM Narendra Modi sat in front of a country name placard that said ‘Bharat’ for the first time. The BJP has argued that the name “India” is a remnant of the country’s colonial past. So anyone who protested against the name-change became ‘anti-national’, and someone with a ‘colonial mindset’. Whereas those who used ‘Bharat’ were automatically ‘patriotic’. 

While the terms India and Bharat were earlier synonyms, they might now indicate ideological differences between the ruling government and one of the largest opposition fronts since independence. 

In Outlook’s latest issue ‘All Is Well’, here is a satirical take on the ongoing India VS Bharat debate. While the Women's Reservation Bill is ‘India’, Nari Shakti Abhiniyam is ‘Bharat’. Banaras Hindu University is ‘Bharat’ and Jawaharlal Nehru University is ‘India’.