One Nation, One Name?

What

A dinner invitation by President Droupadi Murmu to G-20 leaders has sparked a row, with Opposition parties alleging that the Modi government is planning to drop India as the country's name.

The invitation identifies Murmu as the "President of Bharat".

The Constitution gives two names for the country, with Article 1 declaring, "India, that is Bharat..."

Timing

This comes days after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said 'Bharat' should be used instead of India and urged people to inculcate the habit.

"The name of our country has been Bharat for ages," Bhagwat said on Friday, "Our country is Bharat and we will have to stop using the word 'India' and start using Bharat in all practical fields..."

Focus on the special session

The President's invitation has triggered speculation that the government is planning a Bill to drop India as the country's official name during Parliament's special session slated for September 18-22.

Responding to it, Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal — a constituent of the Opposition bloc INDIA — said, "If INDIA alliance rechristens itself as Bharat, will they change the name of Bharat also?"

Other opposition leaders also criticised the BJP.

Bharat vs India

The name "Bharat" has roots in ancient texts, deriving from the legendary king Bharata who is mentioned in books such as the Mahabharata.

"India" became the official name during British rule as the English company and later the Crown referred to the subcontinent by that name. The word "India" is traced to the Indus river.

Before the British established their rule over India, the biggest empire called itself "Hindustan".

Both Hindustan and India have their roots in the Sindhu which originates north of the Himalayas and drains into the Arab Sea off the Sind coast, traversing through and shaping the landscape of India and modern-day Pakistan.

A Supreme Court ruling

In 2016, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking direction to call India Bharat for all official purposes. The court held that the citizens are free to call the country India or Bharat as per their wishes.

To rename...

Constitution expert PDT Achary said any change in the name of the Republic of India will require several amendments to the Constitution.

"They [the government] will have to amend the Constitution. Article 1 [will have to be changed] and then there will be resultant changes in all the other articles."

(We had this in TOI, HL by a colleague)