New Delhi: The movement to replace ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ has gained significant momentum, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliated organizations leading the charge.
During the recently concluded Gyan Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, the issue was a central topic of discussion, with thousands of scholars, educators, and thought leaders advocating for the exclusive use of ‘Bharat’ to refer to the country.
An RSS-affiliated outfit, Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, will now lead a month-long campaign in this direction in March.
As part of this campaign, a nationwide signature drive has been launched to garner public support for renaming the country as ‘Bharat.’ More than 10 lakh signatures will be collected and presented to President Droupadi Murmu as a formal appeal.
The campaign seeks support from universities, educational institutions, social organizations, and industries to ensure widespread endorsement of the cause. The nationwide campaign will be conducted via both physical and online modes.
Announcing the campaign, Atul Kothari, national general secretary of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, emphasized that the name Bharat carries deeper historical and cultural significance.
“The term ‘India’ is limited to nomenclature, whereas ‘Bharat’ embodies the soul of our land. It is not merely a geographical entity but a cultural and spiritual identity that has stood the test of time,” Kothari said at an event in New Delhi this week.
His comments received strong backing from the Sangh senior leadership, including General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and Joint General Secretary Krishna Gopal, both of whom were present at the event.
Other notable dignitaries at the event included ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, Padma Shri awardee Anand Kumar (Founder of Super 30), and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, among others.
While the campaign is now receiving significant backing from RSS-supported institutions, it remains to be seen how the government will respond.
The movement to rename ‘India’ as ‘Bharat’ gained momentum in 2023 during the G20 summit in September when PM Narendra Modi’s nameplate at the summit read “Bharat” instead of “India.”
While the opposition called this debate theatrics, criticizing the saffron party for indulging in ‘name change’ politics, the discussion gained significant attention from right-wing circles and was even advocated by RSS supremo Dr. Mohan Bhagwat.