The debate sparked by the rumoured plans to replace the official usage of the country's English name 'India' with 'Bharat' raged on Wednesday as the opposition leaders hit back at external affairs minister S Jaishankar over his "invitation" to read the Constitution. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the minister should rather acquaint himself with history, adding that “whoever wants to use ‘Bharat’ should use it”.
"There have been bills and debates on it... The foreign minister is asking to read the Constitution but I would suggest that he should read history. We have been saying that whoever wants to use 'Bharat', should use it. We reacted when one of your MPs said that Bharat should stay, and India should be removed," Tiwari told ANI.
A state-issued invite to world leaders for a G20 dinner in the name of 'President of Bharat' instead of the usual ‘President of India’ triggered speculations of the government planning to replace the official usage of the country's English name 'India' with ‘Bharat’.
When asked about his opinion on the debate, Jaishankar, in an interview with ANI, said 'Bharat' has a connotation that is reflected in India's Constitution.
“India that is Bharat, it is there in the Constitution. Please, I would invite everybody to read it,” Jaishankar said.
{{/usCountry}}“India that is Bharat, it is there in the Constitution. Please, I would invite everybody to read it,” Jaishankar said.
{{/usCountry}}The minister was asked about the opposition parties’ reaction and if the government is going to reposition India as Bharat coinciding with the G20 Summit.
“Look when you say Bharat in a sense, a meaning and understanding and a connotation that comes with it and that is reflected in our Constitution as well,” Jaishankar said.
Reacting to Jaishankar's statement, RJD MP Manoj Jha invited the External Affairs Minister to read the Constitution together.
“I invite EAM Jaishankar to come and read the Constitution with me. 'India that is Bharat' is Article 1. We didn't hear him saying anything like that before 19th July... 19 July means the day when the INDIA alliance was formed... What will Jaishankar do if we make further abbreviations and change the alliance's name to India Bharat,” he said.