Opposition Bloc Calling Itself ‘BHARAT’ Might Stop Modi Govt’s ‘Fatuous Game of Changing Names’: Shashi Tharoor

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 6th Sept. Shashi Tharoor, the Congress leader, took a jibe at the Modi government on Wednesday over the India-Bharat naming row, saying the opposition bloc could call itself the “Alliance for Betterment, Harmony, and Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow (BHARAT),” and then the ruling party might stop the “fatuous game of changing names.”

His remarks came after President Droupadi Murmu’s invitations to a G20 dinner, which described her position as ‘President of Bharat’ rather than the customary ‘President of India,’ sparked a massive outcry on Tuesday, with the opposition alleging that the Modi government is planning to drop India and stick with just Bharat as the country’s name.

In a post on X, Tharoor said, “We could of course call ourselves the Alliance for Betterment, Harmony And Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow (BHARAT). Then perhaps the ruling party might stop this fatuous game of changing names.” The Congress is a constituent of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).

We could of course call ourselves the Alliance for Betterment, Harmony And Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow (BHARAT).

Then perhaps the ruling party might stop this fatuous game of changing names.

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 6, 2023

On Tuesday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had on X said, “Mr. Modi can continue to distort history and divide India, that is Bharat, that is a Union of States. But we will not be deterred. After all, what is the objective of INDIA (alliance) parties? It is BHARAT – Bring Harmony, Amity, Reconciliation And Trust. Judega BHARAT. Jeetega INDIA!”

Tharoor on Tuesday had said that  while there is no constitutional objection to calling India ‘Bharat’, he hopes the government will not be so “foolish” to completely dispense with ‘India’ which has “incalculable brand value”.

The Congress MP further said that Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was opposed to the name “India” because it meant that “our country was the successor state to the British Raj and Pakistan was a seceding state.”