As the G20 Summit kicked off in New Delhi on a bright Saturday morning, all eyes were on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who assumed his seat with a nameplate that bore a single word: ‘Bharat’. This seemingly subtle choice of nomenclature has unleashed a nationwide debate, brimming with both fervent support and vehement opposition.
The genesis of this debate can be traced back to the invitations for a G20 dinner, dispatched by none other than President Droupadi Murmu. Rather than the customary ‘President of India’, the invitations introduced her as the ‘President of Bharat’. This unexpected deviation from tradition triggered a political maelstrom, with opposition parties quick to accuse the Modi government of harboring intentions to replace ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ as the nation’s official name.
Amidst this heated discourse, Prime Minister Modi took to the podium on that pivotal Saturday, advocating for a vision of unity and progress encapsulated in the phrase ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ (Together with all, development for all, trust of all, efforts of all).
In his address, PM Modi urged the global community to collectively bridge the trust deficit that often plagues international relations. “Today, as the president of G20, India calls upon the world together to transform the global trust deficit into one of trust and reliance. This is the time for all of us to move together. In this time, the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ can be the torchbearer for us,” he passionately asserted.
The prime minister underscored the multifaceted challenges facing the world today, spanning from disparities between the North and South, divisions between the East and West, to issues encompassing food and fuel management, terrorism, cybersecurity, health, energy, and water security. “Be it the divide between North and South, the distance between East and West, management of food and fuel, terrorism, cybersecurity, health, energy or water security, we will have to find a solid solution to this for future generations,” Modi emphasized.
As the G20 Summit unfolds, it remains to be seen whether this nameplate controversy will continue to dominate headlines or if global leaders will shift their focus to the critical issues at hand. Regardless of the outcome, the ‘India vs. Bharat’ debate has ignited a fresh dialogue about the nation’s identity and its role on the world stage.
