In a recent development, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President, M K Stalin, has raised concerns over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) intentions regarding India’s name. This comes after a controversial G20 dinner invitation referred to the President of India as the “President of Bharat,” sparking speculations about a possible name change for the country.
Stalin took to social media to express his apprehensions, highlighting that the opposition alliance is aptly named #INDIA and accusing the BJP of attempting to alter this identity. He criticized the BJP for their promise of transforming India, suggesting that their actions seemed limited to altering the country’s name.
His sister, Kanimozhi, a Lok Sabha MP representing DMK, also joined the discussion, questioning the political motivations behind addressing the President as “President of Bharat” instead of India. She even raised the possibility of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent organization of the BJP, exerting significant influence in the country.
As this controversy unfolds, it raises profound questions about the nation’s identity and nomenclature, and how political forces are grappling with these issues in the lead-up to elections amid growing debates about national unity and identity.