United Nations and Name Changes
The United Nations will consider any official request from a country to change its name. This is how they handle such matters on the international stage.
Controversy Over ‘Bharat’
There was some controversy in India when President Droupadi Murmu used the title ‘President of Bharat’ instead of ‘President of India’ when inviting people to a G20 dinner. This made people think the government might want to change the country’s name.
UN’s Response
The Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres Farhan Haq, mentioned that the UN deals with such requests when they receive them. So, if India wants to change its name, they would need to go through a procedure.
PM Modi’s Stance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi told his ministers not to get involved in the debate over the name ‘Bharat.’ He explained that ‘Bharat’ is an old name for the country. He also gave instructions to his ministers for the upcoming G20 Summit.
G20 Summit in New Delhi
India is hosting the G20 Summit on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi. Many world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, will attend. PM Modi told his cabinet to stay in the capital during the event and make sure everything runs smoothly for the visiting leaders.
Opposition Concerns
Some in the opposition think that the government might want to change ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’ as the official name, especially after using ‘Bharat’ in an international event like the G20 Summit.