The push for using 'Bharat' in the place of 'India' to refer to the country, was overtly visible during day one of the G20 Summit in New Delhi on Saturday, from the country card that PM Narendra Modi sat in front of, posters across the venue and even in the prime minister's speech.
The row first erupted when a dinner invite sent to G20 delegates and other guests ahead of the summit mentioned 'President of Bharat' instead of the customary 'President of India', a move which sparked claims from opposition parties that the government is trying to drop 'India' from the country's name. They also linked the move to their decision to name their alliance INDIA.
'Bharat' in G20
PM Narendra Modi was identified as the leader representing 'Bharat' at the G20 Summit on Saturday. The name card in front of Modi as he addressed the gathering at the Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the Summit, said 'Bharat'. PM Modi also said in his opening remarks: 'Bharat welcomes you' in Hindi. This was the first time the namecard 'Bharat' was used to refer to India at any global summit.
The elaborate decoration of the venue, Bharat Mandapam, also included posters of 'Bharat', along with 'India'.
According to a report by Indian Express, official access badges for government officials also used 'Bharat' instead of 'India'.
Further, a glossy 24-page magazine was on display at the international media centre of the G20 Summit venue, titled: “Bharat: The Mother of Democracy”. The magazine was also distributed among G20 foreign delegates and journalists from both the country and abroad. On the second page, it says: “Bharat is the official name of the country. It is mentioned in the Constitution as also in the discussions of 1946-48."
“In Bharat that is India, the view or the will of the people in governance has been the central part of life since earliest recorded history,” the magazine states.
The ruling BJP has cheered the use of Bharat, citing the ancient Hindi name's cultural roots. Some leaders claimed the English name 'India' is a colonial legacy. Ahead of the summit, PM Modi advised his ministers to avoid getting into the 'Bharat vs India' debate noting that the Constitution uses both names for the country.
