India: G-20 dinner reception invitation sparks row over 'Bharat'

NEW DELHI

A row erupted in India on Tuesday over an invitation to a dinner hosted by the Indian president during the upcoming G-20 Summit.

President Draupadi Murmu's invitation reads "President of Bharat" rather than the customary "President of India."

India is hosting the 18th G-20 Summit in the capital New Delhi on Sept. 9 and 10. Many world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, will attend the summit.

Many Indian media outlets, citing their sources, reported that the government might bring a resolution during the special parliament session, the agenda of which has not been revealed, but it speculated a change in the country's name from India to Bharat.

The Indian government has called a "special session of parliament" from Sept. 18 to 22. However, the government has not released the agenda for the session.

In July, more than two dozen Indian opposition parties formed the "INDIA" alliance to challenge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in parliamentary elections next year.

The Modi government had no problem with the country's name prior to the formation of INDIA. However, according to media reports, the central government has begun referring to the country as "Bharat" in official documents since then.

"Rashtrapati Bhawan (President's House) has sent out an invite for a G20 dinner on Sept 9th in the name of 'President of Bharat' instead of the usual 'President of India,'" Jairam Ramesh, leader of the main opposition Indian Congress party, on Tuesday wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Now, Article 1 in the Constitution can read: ‘Bharat, that was India, shall be a Union of States.’ But now even this ‘Union of States’ is under assault,” he added.

However, BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda slammed the Congress party, stating on X, “Why does the Congress have so much objection to every subject related to the honour and pride of the country?”

“It is clear that Congress neither respects the country, nor the Constitution, nor the constitutional institutions,” he added.

The chief minister of northern Uttarakhand state, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has said on X, “It is a proud moment for every Indian to have “The President of Bharat” written on the invitation card for the dinner to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan during the G20 Summit."