New Delhi, September 9 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his opening remarks at the two-day G20 Summit held in New Delhi on Saturday, was officially recognized as the representative leader of ‘Bharat.’ This deliberate use of ‘Bharat,’ a term from the Indian Constitution, has been incorporated in several official G20 documents, according to official sources.
The name card displayed in front of Prime Minister Modi as he addressed the gathering at the Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the Summit, prominently featured ‘Bharat.’
A notable development that raised political discussions was the issuance of dinner invitations to G20 delegates and other guests from the ‘President of Bharat.’ This move sparked a controversy with opposition parties alleging that the government was attempting to replace ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ in the country’s name. They also connected this decision to their choice of naming their alliance as ‘INDIA.’
While the ruling BJP has welcomed the use of ‘Bharat,’ emphasizing its deep cultural roots as an ancient Hindi name, some leaders have argued that ‘India’ represents a colonial legacy in contrast. However, the party, for the most part, has refrained from engaging in the ‘Bharat vs. India’ debate, acknowledging that both names are officially recognized in the Indian Constitution.
