‘Use of ‘Bharat’ BJP’s ploy to distract people from pertinent issues’

With ‘President of Bharat’ mentioned on the dinner invitation card for G20 delegates, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, on Wednesday, said that it was an attempt by the BJP to distract the people after Oppositions’ coalition “INDIA” gained significant attention of the people.

Abhishek wrote on his social media account: “INDIA vs BHARAT is just a distraction orchestrated by the BJP. Let’s cut to the chase and hold the govt accountable for skyrocketing prices, rampant inflation, communal tensions, unemployment, border disputes and their empty rhetoric of Double Engine and Nationalism. #StayFocused.”

Political observers in the state are of the opinion that BJP’s battle with “INDIA” seems to have hit an all-new turf with the Centre trying to rechristen India as ‘Bharat’. A fresh controversy cropped up at a time when Delhi is decked up to host dignitaries and statesmen from 20 nations.

Incidentally, the representatives of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) of which Trinamool Congress is a part of, already issued statements saying that the incumbent government at the Centre was rattled by the word ‘India’ and is trying to refrain from using it.

Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chairperson, Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, also questioned the need to suddenly use “Bharat” while referring to India in official communiqués. She also asserted that it is well known that India is called Bharat. A senior Trinamool Congress leader said that Article 1 of the Constitution of India says India is ‘Bharat’. The BJP-led Centre is so scared of the INDIA bloc that they want to change the name of the nation.