One sentence summary – The recent use of the term “Bharat” in official communication by the Indian government has sparked a debate on whether the country’s name should be officially changed from “India” to “Bharat,” with legal experts, political leaders, and the public expressing differing opinions on the matter.
At a glance
- The recent use of the term “Bharat” in official communication has sparked a debate on whether India’s name should be officially changed.
- Debate exists within the legal fraternity regarding the necessity of a constitutional amendment for changing the country’s name.
- Some ministers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) support the use of “Bharat” and see it as aligning with Indian traditions.
- The debate over language in government Bills emerged when Home Minister Amit Shah introduced Bills that included “Bharatiya” in their names.
- Opposition leaders have raised concerns about the potential name change and its implications on national identity and unity.
The details
The recent use of the term “Bharat” in official communication by the Indian government has sparked a debate on whether the country’s name should be officially changed from “India” to “Bharat.”
This decision has divided opinions among legal experts, political leaders, and the public.
President Droupadi Murmu’s invitation to G20 guests referred to her as the “President of Bharat,” sparking speculation about a potential name change.
The use of “Bharat” in official communication has led to speculation that the Indian government may consider officially changing the country’s name.
Debate within the legal fraternity
Debate exists within the legal fraternity regarding the necessity of a constitutional amendment for changing the country’s name.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Singhvi believes that both “Bharat” and “India” can be used interchangeably without a constitutional amendment.
Former Additional Solicitor-General Aman Lekhi argues that the official name, as per the Constitution, is the “Republic of India,” requiring a constitutional amendment for a name change.
Former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar suggests that the terminology used is a matter of semantics and should not be seen as sinister, unless specific intentions are expressed.
Political perspectives
Some ministers from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) support the use of “Bharat” and see it as aligning with Indian traditions.
Opposition leaders have questioned the purpose behind using “Bharat” and linked it to their newly-formed coalition called INDIA.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the BJP, has previously advocated for calling the country Bharat instead of India.
Several BJP politicians have welcomed the use of “Bharat,” while opposition leaders have criticized it.
Language in government Bills
The debate over language in government Bills emerged when Home Minister Amit Shah introduced Bills that included “Bharatiya” in their names, aiming to Indianize the criminal justice system.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal states that these Bills align with Indian traditions, as per Prime Minister Modi’s request.
Article 348(1) of the Indian Constitution states that proceedings in the Supreme Court and High Courts should be conducted in English unless a law is passed by Parliament.
The Indian constitution refers to the country as Bharat in Article 1, but elsewhere it is referred to as India.
Official Indian websites still predominantly use the term “government of India,” and President Murmu is referred to as the President of India on X (formerly Twitter).
Concerns and public opinion
Opposition leaders have raised concerns about the potential name change and its implications on national identity and unity.
Cases have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to change India’s name to Bharat, but the court has not taken a stance on the matter.
The general public has expressed varied opinions on the potential name change, with some supporting it and others opposing it.
The recent use of “Bharat” in official communication and the ongoing debate surrounding a potential name change from “India” to “Bharat” have raised significant interest and controversy.
While legal experts differ on the necessity of a constitutional amendment, political leaders and the public continue to express opposing views.
The court’s stance on pending cases related to this issue remains uncertain.
As discussions and deliberations continue, the implications of a name change on national identity and unity will remain at the forefront of this ongoing debate.
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| thehindu.com |
|---|
| – President Droupadi Murmu’s invitation to G-20 guests refers to her as the “President of Bharat” – Speculation arises that the Indian government may officially change the name of “India” to “Bharat” – There is debate within the legal fraternity on whether a constitutional amendment is necessary for a name change – Senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Singhvi states that both “Bharat” and “India” can be used interchangeably – Singhvi believes an amendment would only be required if the government insists on using one term exclusively or removing a particular term – Former Additional Solicitor-General Aman Lekhi states that the official name is the “Republic of India” and a constitutional amendment would be necessary for a name change – Lekhi questions the necessity of a name change and emphasizes the importance of avoiding controversy – Former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar believes that unless there is explicit intention, the terminology is only a matter of semantics and should not be seen as sinister – A constitutional expert suggests that there is nothing wrong with using “President of Bharat” in an invitation, but it should not be seen as a step towards eliminating the use of English language – Article 348(1) of the Constitution states that proceedings in the Supreme Court and High Courts shall be in English until a law is passed by Parliament – The debate over language in government Bills began when Home Minister Amit Shah introduced Bills to replace existing laws with ones that have “Bharatiya” in their names – Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal states that the Bills aim to Indianize the criminal justice system and align with Indian traditions, as per Prime Minister Modi’s request |
| bbc.co.uk |
|---|
| – The Indian government used the term “Bharat” in an official invite for the G20 Summit. – Bharat is the Hindi name for India. – |
| The dinner invitation from President Droupadi Murmu referred to her as “President of Bharat. |
| ” – Some ministers from the ruling BJP party supported the use of Bharat, while opposition leaders questioned its purpose. – |
| There are reports that the government is considering officially changing the name of the country to Bharat, but this has not been confirmed. – Official Indian websites still use the term “government of India” and President Murmu is referred to as the President of India on X (formerly Twitter). – |
| The use of Bharat in the invite came shortly after the chief of the BJP’s ideological mentor, the RSS, stated that the country should be called Bharat instead of India. – Several BJP politicians welcomed the move, while opposition leaders criticized it. – |
| The term “Amrit Kaal” is being used by the prime minister and government officials to refer to the years leading up to 2047 when India will turn 100 and become a prosperous and developed nation. |
| – Opposition leaders linked the use of Bharat to their newly-formed coalition called INDIA. – |
| The government has previously used Bharat in a handbook for foreign delegates attending the G20. – |
| The Indian constitution refers to India as Bharat in Article 1, but elsewhere in the constitution, the country is referred to as India. |
| – Cases have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to change India’s name to Bharat, but the judges have not taken a stance on the matter. |
| – India is hosting this year’s G20 summit in Delhi from 9-10 September. |
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