Let's forget the word 'INDIA', says VHP hailing use of Bharat in President's G20 invitation

Whatever may be the language, the name remains the same, the RSS chief said addressing the event organised under the aegis of Sakal Jain Samaj.Our country is Bharat and we will have to stop using the word India and start using Bharat in all practical fields, only then will change happen.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Tuesday hailed the use of the word 'Bharat' in President Droupadi Murmu's G20 dinner invitation and said "Let's forget the word INDIA".

The Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) comment came amid a row over President Murmu's G20 dinner invites referring to her as ''President of Bharat'' instead of 'President of India'.

The Congress hit out at the BJP-led Centre over the departure from practice and accused it of indulging in deflecting public attention from real issues such as price rise and joblessness.

The Congress claimed the ruling BJP has resorted to such a move as it is ''scared'' of the opposition parties' INDIA bloc and alleged that the Constitutional provision of India being a "Union of States" is under attack under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.

Reacting to the developments, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said in a post on 'X', "We are proud of our President of Bharat." "Let's forget the word INDIA," Bansal added.

Meanwhile, the President's G20 dinner invitation was shared by several ministers as the Congress took exception to the use of the word 'Bharat' in it.

The row over the issue erupted four days after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat made a strong pitch for the use of the word 'Bharat' instead of India.

Addressing an event in Guwahati on September 1, Bhagwat said the country's name as Bharat has been continuing since ancient times and it must be taken forward.

''The name of our country has been Bharat for ages. Whatever may be the language, the name remains the same,'' the RSS chief said addressing the event organised under the aegis of Sakal Jain Samaj.

''Our country is Bharat and we will have to stop using the word 'India' and start using 'Bharat' in all practical fields, only then will change happen. We will have to call our country Bharat and explain it to others as well," Bhagwat said.

The VHP is an affiliate of the RSS - the ideological fountainhead of the BJP.