India, that is Bharat: How the Constituent Assembly chose

Source– The post is based on the articles

“India, that is Bharat: How the Constituent Assembly chose” published in “The Indian Express” on 6th September 2023.

“India or Bharat-Why not Both” published in “The Times of India” on 6th September 2023.

Syllabus: GS2 – Indian Polity

Relevance- Renaming of the country

News– Recently the President’s invite for the G-20 dinner mentioned the “President of Bharat” instead of “President of India”. This has reignited the debate whether India should be renamed as Bharat.

The first debate on Article 1 was to begin on November 17, 1948. However, on the suggestion of Govind Ballabh Pant, the discussion on the name was postponed to a later date.

What were the arguments in favour of giving prominence to Bharat over India in constituent assembly?

Reminder of colonial Past – The use of India over Bharat was seen as a reminder of the colonial past.

Use of Bharat would symbolise actual independence – India name for the newly independent nation did not signify the actual independence. Members who supported the name Bharat took Irish constitution example. Irish Free State was one of the few countries in the modern world which changed its name on achieving freedom and the fourth article of its Constitution refers to the change in the name of the land.

Name of the country as India was foreign imposition – Clinging to the word ‘India’, showed that we are not ashamed of having this insulting word which has been imposed on us by alien rulers.

Name Bharat was befitting to our history and our culture – Vishnu Purana and Brahma Purana mentioned ‘Bharat’. Seventh-century Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang had referred to the country as Bharat.

What are the arguments against renaming of name India as Bharat?

Cumbersome process – Renaming of names of government institutions to corporate institutions. This will be a cumbersome and tiring process.

Renaming of name would be against the non-theocratic and inclusive state that India symbolises.

Renaming of names will not serve much purpose as all institutions have already Bharat names in their Hindi usage like the RBI and IITs.

Renaming of names is a means of political polarisation between the elite-non-elite, urban-rural and south-north states. It is being used to counter the emerging coalition of I.N.D.I.A by the ruling party.

However, Dr. Ambedkar reminded the House several times that the civilisational debate was unnecessary since the name Bharat was not opposed by members. Dr. Ambedkar was apprehensive of such debates on the name of the country. He was focussed more on development path the country should take.