India’s Supreme Court has twice rejected pleas to rename ‘India’ to ‘Bharat’, once in 2016 and then in 2020.
Strongly objecting to a public interest litigation seeking renaming of the country in 2016, the Supreme Court said that such pleas would not be entertained. It told the petitioner that if they want to call the country Bharat they can do so and if someone wants to call it India, let the call it so.
In 2020, the Supreme Court yet again refused to entertain a similar plea but suggesyted that the appeal could be converted into representation and sent to the union government.
Then Chief Justice SA Bobde has said that India and Bharat are both names given in the Constitution.
A G20 dinner invite sent from President Droupadi Murmu's office on Tuesday read ‘President of Bharat,’ sparking reports about a possible change in India’s name to ‘Bharat.’
Also see: G20 summit: 'President of Bharat' invitation sparks BJP-Congress war of words
Several politicians and celebrities have also participated in the discussion. Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag said he wanted to see “Bharat” written on the blue jersey. Actor Amitabh Bachchan also hinted at his support in a veiled manner.
The BJP on Tuesday said the use of the Hindi name for the country underscores its "civilisation march", and rejected the opposition's objections to it, news agency PTI reported.