Posted on 09/06/2023 11:55:58 AM PDT by Red Badger
NEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has replaced the name India with a Sanskrit word in dinner invitations sent to guests attending this week’s Group of 20 summit, in a move that reflects his Hindu nationalist party’s efforts to eliminate what it sees as colonial-era names.
Indian President Droupadi Murmu is referred to as “President of Bharat” instead of “President of India” in the invitation sent to G20 attendees. The nation of more than 1.4 billion people is officially known by two names, India and Bharat, but the former is most commonly used, both domestically and internationally.
Bharat is an ancient Sanskrit word which many historians believe dates back to early Hindu texts. The word also means India in Hindi.
The change in nomenclature is backed by officials of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. They argue that the name India was introduced by British colonials and is a “symbol of slavery.” The British ruled India for about 200 years until the country gained independence in 1947.
“Another blow to slavery mentality,” the top elected official of Uttarakhand state, Pushkar Singh Dhami, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Dhami, who is a leader of Modi’s governing party, shared the dinner invitation sent to G20 guests in his post.
Modi’s party has long tried to erase names related to India’s Mughal and colonial past.
In 2015, New Delhi’s famous Aurangzeb Road, named after a Mughal king, was changed to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road after protests from Modi’s party leaders. Last year, the government also renamed a colonial-era avenue in the heart of New Delhi that is used for ceremonial military parades.
Modi’s government says the name changes are an effort to reclaim India’s Hindu past.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
What about the English language—you can’t get more “colonial” than that.
This could be fun to watch....
:-)
I saw that coming.......................
“Is nice!”
If they ever make a movie about The Marx Brothers, he’s a lock for Groucho..................
“Great Success!”
They are the largest English speaking country on earth............
Why doesn’t India kick Chinese butt?
Even Old New York, was once New Amsterdam.
Nd now it’s more like Old Amsterdam...............
Cultural appropriation, big time.
Slaves didn't use deodorant.
Pakistan....................
If they stop being Indians from India, can our Native Americans become Indians again?
I think population wise India has now passed China as the largest country on the planet.
Them too....
Hindia, the land of the follower of the Hindu religion? I can understand how Hindia became India, but I cannot figure out how India became a slave name.
I am willing to call that country Bharat but I want to call our indigenous peoples Indians again.
Can the Cleveland baseball team become the Indians again?
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