Country would remain Bharat as long as Sun and Moon exist: Assam CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday claimed that people of every state want the country to be known as Bharat and said the nation would remain as Bharat as long as the sun and the moon are there.

Sarma, a senior BJP leader, also alleged that opposition parties were conspiring to eliminate the Hindu religion and the name Bharat.

"Bharat is as old as the sun and the moon. As long as the sun and the moon are in existence, Bharat will continue be in existence… Every state and its people want that the country be know as Bharat," he claimed while talking to reporters here.

Sarma's comments came as a massive furore erupted after invitations for a G20 dinner sent out by President Droupadi Murmu described her position as 'President of Bharat' instead of the customary 'President of India'.

The opposition alleged that the Narendra Modi government is planning to drop India and stay with just Bharat as the country's name.

The chief minister said, "The opposition is conspiring that the Hindu religion should be eliminated. Now, they are after this and want to eliminate Bharat too."

He said the opposition should go and ask Congress leader Rahul Gandhi why did he name his foot march as 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and not 'India Jodo Yatra'.

"When we say it is Bharat, they have a problem. But when they say Bharat, then they have no issues. The Congress is against Hindu and against Bharat," the BJP leader said.

Sarma said that the Constitution has clearly mentioned that India means Bharat. "This name of Bharat has been there for thousands of years... Our country's name was Bharat, now it is Bharat and it will remain as Bharat," he said.

He said the country is moving towards 'Amrit Kaal' and wondered why the country should be known by an English name. It should be a Bhartiya name and with a Bhartiya word, Sarma said.

Earlier, in multiple posts on 'X', the chief minister said the Congress seems to have a strong aversion towards Bharat and the opposition alliance intentionally chose I.N.D.I.A as its name with the aim of defeating 'BHARAT'.

"REPUBLIC OF BHARAT- happy and proud that our civilisation is marching ahead boldly towards AMRIT KAAL," he wrote on 'X'.

While responding to a post by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on 'X', Sarma said, "Now my apprehension has proven to be true. The Congress party seems to have a strong aversion towards Bharat. It appears that the name 'I.N.D.I.A alliance' was intentionally chosen with the aim of defeating BHARAT."

Ramesh, whose party is a constituent of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A), has alleged that the 'Union of States' is under assault by the Modi government as it claimed that a G20 dinner invite refers to the President as 'President of Bharat'.

The G20 Summit is being held in Delhi on September 9 and 10 under India's presidency and several heads of state from across the world, including US President Joe Biden, are attending the event.