India, Bharat and a host of Implications
- Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s founding father, always wanted the new Muslim homeland to be called Pakistan, the “land of the pure”. Even though Pakistan would be carved out of the original India, he did not want the name of the new country to have anything to do with ‘India’
- The term ‘Pakistan’ was coined by Choudhary Rehmat Ali in 1933, and was actually an acronym for the five northern provinces of India — Punjab (P), North-West Frontier Province or Afghan Province (A), Kashmir (K), Sindh (S) and Balochistan (‘tan’). By the time the movement for a separate Islamic state in the subcontinent picked up in the 1940s, the name became ubiquitous in Muslim League speeches and correspondence.
- By the time Partition became a certainty, ‘Pakistan’ was the name of the choice for the new Islamic-majority state
- “He [Jinnah] was under the impression that neither state (India or Pakistan) would want to adopt the British title of ‘India’. He only discovered his mistake after Lord Mountbatten, the last British viceroy, had already acceded to Nehru’s demand that his state remain ‘India’. Jinnah, according to Mountbatten, was absolutely furious when he found out,”
- Puranic and Mahabharata Roots: The name 'Bharat,' 'Bharata,' or 'Bharatvarsha' finds its origins in Puranic literature and the epic Mahabharata.
- Geographical Description: Puranas describe Bharata as the land located between the southern sea and the northern abode of snow.
- Religious and Socio-Cultural Entity: Social scientist Catherine Clémentin-Ojha interprets 'Bharata' as a religious and socio-cultural concept rather than a purely political or geographical one.
- Bharata in Rig Vedic Legend: 'Bharata' was the name of an ancient legendary king, ancestor of the Rig Vedic Bharatas tribe, and seen as the forefather of all subcontinent peoples.
- Unity of India: Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1927, referred to the "fundamental unity of India" rooted in a common faith and culture, highlighting the significance of India being referred to as 'Bharata' in Hindu pilgrimage sites across the country.
- The 58th Amendment of the Indian Constitution was passed in 1987. It amended Article 343 of the Constitution to provide for the publication of an authoritative Hindi translation of the Constitution.
- The amendment also empowered the President of India to publish the translation of every amendment to the Constitution in Hindi.
- The amendment was passed in response to a demand from the Hindi-speaking states of India. The states argued that the Constitution should be available in Hindi, the national language of India.
- The amendment was also seen as a way to promote national unity and integration.
- The 58th Amendment was a significant step in the process of making the Constitution more accessible to the people of India.
- It helped to ensure that the Constitution was available in the language that is spoken by the majority of Indians. The amendment also helped to promote national unity and integration by making the Constitution a more common document for all Indians.
4. Article 1 (1) of Indian Constitution
Article 1: Name and territory of the Union
(1) India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
This article establishes that India is a Union of States and is also referred to as "Bharat" in its Hindi name. It lays the foundation for the structure of the Indian political system, which is federal in nature, with a division of powers between the central government and the states.
The term "Union of States" in Article 1(1) signifies that India is a federal nation comprising a union or federation of individual states and union territories. Each state within the union has its own government and legislature, with powers and responsibilities outlined in the Constitution. The distribution of powers between the central government and the states is further detailed in other parts of the Constitution, particularly in the Seventh Schedule.
This article, along with other provisions in the Constitution, helps establish the constitutional framework for the governance and organization of the Indian Republic
5. Constitutional debates
The Constituent Assembly of India debated the name of the country at length. There were two main contenders: India and Bharat.
- India was the name that was used by the British to refer to the country. It is derived from the name of the Indus River, which flows through the northwest of the country.
- Bharat is the ancient name of the country. It is mentioned in the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.
The supporters of India argued that it was the name that was most familiar to the people of the world. They also argued that it was a more neutral name, as it did not favor any particular religion or language.
The supporters of Bharat argued that it was the more historical name and that it had a deeper cultural significance. They also argued that it was a more appropriate name for a free and independent country.
In the end, the Constituent Assembly decided to use both names. The Constitution of India states that "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." This compromise was seen as a way to balance the different views on the name of the country.
The use of both names has continued to this day. The government of India uses the name India in its official communications, but the name Bharat is also widely used, especially in the Hindi-speaking parts of the country.
6.Conclusion
The decision to retain the name "India" was in line with the desire to preserve a sense of historical and cultural continuity while ushering in a new era of democratic governance and independence. This choice has since become a symbol of India's diverse and rich heritage
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Practice Questions 1.Explain the significance of the naming debate during the constituent assembly debates of India. How did the Constituent Assembly arrive at the decision to retain the name 'India'? Discuss the historical and cultural considerations behind this decision 2.Discuss the various proposals that were put forward for naming the newly independent nation during the constituent debates. Why was the name 'India' ultimately chosen over alternatives such as 'Bharat' or 'Hindustan'? Analyze the factors that influenced this decision 3.Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played a pivotal role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution. Discuss the role of the drafting committee, chaired by Dr. Ambedkar, in the decision to retain the name 'India.' How did the committee navigate the naming debate and what were the underlying principles guiding their decision? |
