Will India be renamed?  ‘President of Bharat’ on G20 invite triggers row

The words “President of Bharat” has been used  in the formal invitation to the President’s G20 dinner. Opposition leaders think this was done to disassociate the alliance from the country’s name or hint at a Parliament name change. 100

The President’s G20 dinner invitation now reads “President of Bharat” instead of “President of India” for the first time.

The formal invitation to the President’s luncheon for G20 dignitaries calls India “Bharat”. Image via Twitter/@dpradhanbjp

The formal invitation to the President’s luncheon for G20 dignitaries calls India “Bharat”. Image via Twitter/@dpradhanbjp

The Congress attacked the BJP on September 5 over a G20 dinner invitation that called President Droupadi Murmu “President of Bharat,” accusing the administration of being “scared” of the INDIA bloc and deflecting attention from rising prices and “rising unemployment.”

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reposted President Murmu’s “President of Bharat” message on X (formerly Twitter) inviting the G20 dinner.

Opposition leaders said the government’s use of “Bharat” instead of “India” in English-language communication was a way to separate the coalition from the country’s name or an indication that the September 18–22 extraordinary session of Parliament will be about renaming it. The media reports that government insiders called renaming India during the upcoming Parliament session “rubbish.”

Delhi will host the G20 Summit on September 9 and 10 under Indian leadership. The dignitaries include US President Joe Biden.

Conclusion

The words “President of Bharat” has been used  in the formal invitation to the President’s G20 dinner.  This move was criticized by Congress on September 5 for referring to President Droupadi Murmu as “President of Bharat,” accusing the administration of being “scared” of the INDIA bloc and deflecting attention away from issues like rising prices and unemployment. Opposition leaders say “Bharat” was selected to avoid linking the coalition to the country’s name or recommending a name change during Parliament’s September 18-22 special session. The G20 meets in India September 9-10.