DK Shivakumar and Priyank Kharge taunt BJP over proposed removal of the name 'India'

Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge on August 6, Wednesday came out against the Narendra Modi-led BJP saying that the party assumed power in the Centre claiming to be a "game changer" but has been reduced to a mere ‘name changer’ government.  He was reacting to the Union government's specu;ated plan of renaming India as 'Bharat'. Taking to social media, Minister Kharge said before 2014, India was competing with developed countries like America, Russia and Britain.

 

"The Modi government that came to power claiming to be "game changers" is just "name changers"! Before 2014, India was competing with developed countries like America, Britain, Russia. Now, in the name of Gujarat model, UP model, they have created "Manipur model" by sowing hatred between castes and races. What else can be expected from the BJP other than name changes, which has put India in the position of patting itself on the back with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka? Competent rulers bring change in India and not change the name of India," Priyank said.

 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the Modi-led Central government’s move to rename the country as Bharat is not required. He maintained that the Constitution mentions the name of the country as India and is a name which is agreed upon by one and all. "There is no need for renaming it," he added.

 

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that "The Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, out of fear of our Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), are up to changing the name of Republic of India into Republic of Bharat".

 

"One can observe that the BJP and Central government are seeing their defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Indian currency has the name India on it and attempts are made to change it," Shivakumar stated.