Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly condemned the Centre’s move to replace the nation’s name ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ as “part of nefarious attempts to sabotage the country’s heterogeneity.” He urged the people to unite and resist such brazen political measures.
The attempt to exclude the name India is against the nation itself and its Constitution. Article 1 of the Constitution itself refers to the nation as ‘India that is Bharat.’ Similarly, the preface of the Constitution begins with the words ‘We the people of India’, said Mr. Vijayan in a statement here on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister said the Centre is attempting to remove the name India through a Constitutional amendment and that the use of ‘the President of Bharat’ instead of ‘the President of India’ in the invitations sent out to the heads of States participating in the G20 Summit is a prelude to this.
“Political decisions should never be contrary to the foundational ideals of our nation. This dubious attempt is undemocratic and unconstitutional,” said Mr. Vijayan.
He urged the Central government to desist from such attempts to “defy the Constitution and disregard the nation.”
