Amid Ongoing Name Debate, Shashi Tharoor Proposes New Name for Opposition Alliance BHARAT

New Delhi, 6th September 2023: In the midst of the ongoing debate surrounding the names “Bharat” and “India,” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has put forth a suggestion for a new name for the opposition alliance. He has introduced the acronym BHARAT, representing “Alliance for Betterment, Harmony, and Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow.”

Tharoor suggests that this proposal could potentially put an end to the name-changing game played by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speculation has arisen that the government may introduce a Constitution Amendment Bill during the upcoming five-day Parliament session. However, as of now, the government has not officially disclosed the session’s agenda.

Taking to the social media platform ‘X,’ Tharoor stated, “We can call ourselves Alliance for Betterment, Harmony, and Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow (BHARAT). Maybe after this, the ruling party will cease this name-changing game.”

The newly formed opposition alliance has adopted the name the “Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance” (I.N.D.I.A).

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed strong dissent regarding this naming choice. He commented, “So, the news is accurate. Rashtrapati Bhavan has sent an invitation to the G20 dinner on September 9 with the name ‘President of Bharat’ instead of ‘President of India.’ Now, the article of the Constitution will read: ‘Bharat,’ that is, ‘India,’ shall be a Union of States.” Ramesh further remarked, “But now, this union of states is also under scrutiny.”

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari expressed concerns about the use of the word ‘India.’ He questioned whether the BJP would go to the extent of changing the constitution, emphasizing that the Constitution reads, “India, that is, Bharat.”

He added, “The apprehension within the BJP reflects the apprehension of Modi ji. India’s formation took place here, and BJP began its journey. You cannot erase the word ‘India’ from the annals of history. We take immense pride in our India and Bharat.”

Reports indicate that a dinner event has been organized at Raj Bhavan in preparation for the upcoming G-20 summit. Interestingly, the invitation addressed the recipient as the ‘President of Bharat’ rather than ‘President of Bharat.’ Additionally, a related image from the BRICS summit displayed the title ‘Prime Minister of Bharat.’