Shashi Tharoor comes up with alternate name for INDIA bloc amid ‘Bharat’ debate

Senior Congress leader Shashi on Wednesday took a swipe at the ruling BJP for pushing ‘Bharat’ over the country's English name ‘India’ after the opposition bloc named the alliance INDIA, an abbreviation for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. Tharoor said BJP might stop the “fatuous game” of changing names if the opposition parties rechristen the front as Alliance for Betterment, Harmony And Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow, or BHARAT.

“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,” Tharoor posted on X, former Twitter, as the debate over official usage of the country's English name raged for the second day.

A political row has erupted over the name of the country after the government sent out G20 dinner invites to world leaders in the name of the ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the usual ‘President of India’.

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Tharoor earlier noted that there is no constitutional objection to calling India “Bharat” but added that completely dispensing with ‘India’ would be foolish. He suggested using both India and Bharat to refer to the country and not relinquish claim to a name “redolent of history”.

“While there is no constitutional objection to calling India “Bharat”, which is one of the country’s two official names, I hope the government will not be so foolish as to completely dispense with “India”, which has incalculable brand value built up over centuries,” he wrote on X.

“We should continue to use both words rather than relinquish our claim to a name redolent of history, a name that is recognised around the world,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of "shallow politics" being done on 'Bharat' and 'INDIA' and demanded a ban on all political bodies formed in the name of the country.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mayawati said, “Supreme Court should take suo motu cognizance of the shallow politics being done on 'Bharat' and 'INDIA' and ban all organisations, parties, and alliances formed in the name of the country.”

"Bharat that is India is a well-known and dignified constitutional name. The people of our country, belonging to all castes and religions, have immense love and respect for the sacred humanitarian and public welfare Constitution of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, and it is highly inappropriate to play with their sentiments by changing and tampering with them," she said.