Editorial of the Day: India, Bharat and a host of implications (The Hindu)

Context: The article is discussing several aspects related to the use of the terms “Bharat” and “India” and the political implications associated with them in the context of Indian politics. It highlights how the terms “Bharat” and “India” carry historical and ideological significance in India and the constitutional aspects related to the naming of the country. Overall, the article seems to explore the complex and multifaceted aspects surrounding the names “Bharat” and “India,”  how these terms are used and their potential political implications, especially in the context of opposition parties and the government’s communication choices. It also underscores the importance of linguistic traditions in India’s identity.

Background

Historical Perspectives on the Names “India” and “Bharat”:

• Constitutionality:
  • Article 1 of the Indian Constitution already uses both “India” and “Bharat” interchangeably, stating, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”
  • The preamble of the Indian Constitution begins with “We the People of India,” but the Hindi version uses “Bharat” instead of India, indicating interchangeability.
    • Additionally, some government institutions, such as the Indian Railways, already have Hindi variants that include “Bharatiya.”
• Origin of the Name Bharat:
  • The term “Bharat” has deep historical and cultural roots. It can be traced back to Puranic literature and the epic Mahabharata.
  • Vishnu Purana describes “Bharata” as the land between the southern sea and the northern snowy Himalayan mountain.
    • It signifies a religious and socio-cultural entity more than a mere political or geographical one.
  • Bharata is also the name of a legendary ancient king, considered the ancestor of the Rig Vedic tribes of Bharatas, symbolizing the progenitor of all subcontinent’s people.
• Origin of the Name India:
  • The name India is derived from the word Indus, which is the name of a river that flows through the north-western part of the subcontinent.
    • The ancient Greeks called the people living beyond the Indus as Indoi, which means “the people of Indus”.
    • Later, the Persians and the Arabs also used the term Hind or Hindustan to refer to the land of Indus.
  • The Europeans adopted the name India from these sources, and it became the official name of the country after the British colonial rule.
• Constitutional Assembly Deliberation Regarding India and Bharat:
  • The debate surrounding the country’s name is not new. When the Constituent Assembly was framing the Constitution in 1949, there was a division of opinions regarding the name.
    • Some members felt that “India” was a reminder of colonial oppression and sought to prioritize “Bharat” in official documents.
      • Seth Govind Das from Jabalpur advocated for placing “Bharat” above “India,” emphasizing that the latter was merely a translation of the former in English.
      • Hari Vishnu Kamath cited the example of the Irish Constitution, which changed the name of the country upon achieving independence, as a precedent for using “Bharat.”
      • Hargovind Pant argued that the people wanted “Bharatvarsha” and rejected the term “India” imposed by foreign rulers.
• Recent Development:
  • In 2015, Centre opposed a name change, stating that the issue had been extensively deliberated upon during the Constitution’s drafting.
    • The Supreme has twice rejected pleas to rename ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’, once in 2016 and then in 2020, reaffirming that “Bharat” and “India” both find mention in the Constitution.

Decoding the Editorial

The terms “Bharat” & “India”:

Historical Perspective:

The article discusses the historical controversy surrounding the name of India during the period of its independence in 1947 and its implications for the country’s international identity.

• Context of Independence in 1947: The transfer of power from British colonial rule to Indian hands in 1947 occurred through the British Parliament’s Indian Independence Act of 1947, which led to the creation of two dominions: India and Pakistan, as well as the release of Princely States from British paramountcy.
• Controversy Over India’s Name: The Muslim League in Pakistan advocated for India to be named either “Hindustan” or “Bharat.” They argued that two successor states had emerged: Pakistan and either Hindustan or Bharat. However, India’s position was that it was the successor state to British India under international law, while Pakistan had seceded from India. This dispute revolved around the name and international status of the newly independent nations.
• Resolution in India’s Favour: Ultimately, the matter was decided in India’s favour, and Pakistan was required to establish its international status, including applying for membership in the United Nations (UN). India retained the name ‘India’ in all international and multilateral forums, and this name continues to represent the country’s international identity.
• Use of ‘India’ in International Settings: In international, multilateral, and bilateral contexts where the English language is used, the name ‘India’ is consistently employed.
  • Example: a joint statement titled ‘India-Greece Joint Statement’ from a recent visit by the Indian Prime Minister to Greece.

58th Amendment:

The article discusses the historical and linguistic aspects of the names “India” and “Bharat” in the context of the Indian Constitution, language variations, and their historical origins.

• 58th Amendment of the Constitution: 58th Amendment of the Indian Constitution was enacted in 1987.
  • This amendment empowered the President to publish the authoritative text of the Constitution in the Hindi language.
  • This authoritative Hindi version of the Constitution could be used in legal proceedings.
• Usage of “India” and “Bharat” in the Constitution: In the English version of the Constitution, it is titled “Constitution of India,” and Article 1(1) states, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”
• • In this formulation, the emphasis is on the word “India.”
  • In contrast, the Hindi version is titled “Bharat ka Samvidhan,” and Article 1(1) reads, “Bharat artharth India, rajyon ka sangh hoga,” giving primacy to the word “Bharat” in the Hindi version.
• Historical Origin of the Names: The article discusses the historical origin of the names “India” and “Hind.” It notes that the words “India” and similar variants like “Hind” in Arabic are of foreign origin and were used by outsiders to refer to the land south and east of the Indus or Sindhu River.
• Development of National Consciousness: The article explains that the idea of a single nation encompassing all people in the Indian subcontinent emerged during the Indian Renaissance. Some proponents of this idea sought to find ancient Indian roots for Indian nationalism and preferred the name “Bharat” with its variations in different languages.
• Alternative Syncretic Terms: Some individuals, like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, advocated for syncretic terms that would be acceptable to people of different faiths. One such term was “Hind,” which is still used today, especially in the phrase “Jai Hind.”
• Usage of “Jai Hind” and “Jai Bharat”: The article points out that “Jai Hind” and “Jai Bharat” are emotive expressions used by public personalities and even the President of India in speeches, reflecting the coexistence of these terms in Indian discourse.

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