Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inaugurated the G-20 summit at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre (IECC) Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, sparked a buzz on social media when a nameplate reading Bharat was placed in front of him during the inaugural session on Saturday.
Modi's recent action has ignited an array of responses on social media, where citizens are hailing him as the Prime Minister of Bharat, breaking away from the traditional label of Prime Minister of India.
While many people praised Modi for embracing the heritage of the country and taking steps to distance it from its colonial past, there were also those who expressed their concern and criticism regarding the reported renaming of India as 'Bharat'.
Although the response on social media has largely been positive, the officially denied renaming of India as Bharat has triggered an extensive debate between the opposition Congress party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Modi's recent action has ignited an array of responses on social media, where citizens are hailing him as the Prime Minister of Bharat, breaking away from the traditional label of Prime Minister of India.
While many people praised Modi for embracing the heritage of the country and taking steps to distance it from its colonial past, there were also those who expressed their concern and criticism regarding the reported renaming of India as 'Bharat'.
Although the response on social media has largely been positive, the officially denied renaming of India as Bharat has triggered an extensive debate between the opposition Congress party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress, BJP Clash Over "Bharat"
The Congress, which has held power in India for the majority of the post-independence era, alleges that the central government, led by Modi, has announced a special parliamentary session scheduled for later this month to formally rename India as Bharat.
In addition, the Congress, in collaboration with other opposition parties as part of the alliance known as INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance), perceives the BJP's actions as a deliberate endeavor to manipulate India's historical narrative.
The BJP, on the other hand, dismisses the opposition's accusations, labeling them as anti-national forces working against the nation's interests.
Bharat in the Indian Constitution
To support its stance, the BJP refers to Article 1 of the Constitution, which mentions Bharat as the official name of India.
The G20 summit in New Delhi distributed a booklet to foreign delegates, highlighting that the official name of the country is Bharat, as stated in the Constitution and discussed extensively from 1946 to 1948.
Dharmendra Pradhan, the Federal Education Minister, stated that the gesture demonstrated by the Indian Prime Minister should be perceived as a powerful rejection of the lingering colonial mindset.
Pradhan added, ''this should have happened earlier. It gives me great satisfaction. 'Bharat' is our introduction, and we are proud of it.''