Controversy over ‘Bharat’

The unsavoury ‘Bharat’/India row is sparked by dirty politics and fuelled by vested interests. The name ‘Bharat’ denotes our civilisational heritage and the name ‘India’, now as much Indian as the English language is, represents a modern, secular and liberal identity, emphasising diversity and inclusivity. Article 1 of the Constitution states that ‘India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States’. This gives the President and the government the right to use ‘Bharat’ in all official documents. The MEA can adopt the constitutional nomenclature of ‘India, that is Bharat’. Any controversial attempt at a constitutional amendment to drop/omit the name ‘India’ should be avoided.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

Political stunt

The Central Government’s reported plan to change India’s official name to ‘Bharat’ is more of a political stunt than a necessity. If there were to be a change in the official name of the country, citizens would need to update their government-issued documents, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, passports, driving licences and vehicle registration certificates to reflect the new official name. This would involve administrative procedures and potentially incur costs for individuals. Besides, government departments and ministries with ‘India’ in their names would require new signage, letterheads and branding.

Vikramjit Singh, Amritsar

Delhi G20 summit

Refer to ‘The India-US moment’; the star-studded Delhi summit with two stars less would make a visual difference to the platform. Multilateral summits and their outcomes have implications not only for relations between nations but also for the internal dynamics and future prospects of individual countries. A holistic and forward-thinking approach to addressing the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century is crucial. The G20 summit is likely to be remembered not only for its formal outcomes and declarations, but also for the deficiencies that would impact the G20 as an organisation and the globalised world.

Jagvinder Singh Brar, Patiala

Drug abuse

Refer to ‘Drug menace’; Punjab Police’s efforts to combat drug menace are commendable. The seizure of such a significant quantity of heroin by law enforcement agencies is a testament to their dedication. Combating the illegal drug trade is a challenging and critical endeavour, and these accomplishments reflect the police’s commitment to tackling the issue. Seizing 1,400 kg of heroin in 14 months sends out a strong message about the determination to address drug trafficking and its associated consequences. Besides, the police are actively involved in organising awareness campaigns and meetings in rural and urban areas on the ill effects of drug addiction.

Raj Kumar Kapoor, Ropar

CM’s announcements

During a state-level function to celebrate Teachers’ Day, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann made major announcements for the improvement of the school education system in the state. Recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff, bus service for girl students and hi-tech centres to train students for competitive exams are laudable steps. Though the CM’s intentions should not be doubted, past experience shows that such announcements by politicians in power usually remain on paper. It would be better if the CM directs the officials concerned to start working earnestly to translate these announcements into reality at the earliest. This would not only lend credibility to the CM’s statements, but also benefit the stakeholders.

NK Gosain, Bathinda

Aditya-L1 mission

India has been making significant strides in the field of space exploration and technology. The launch of Aditya-L1 represents a major step forward in the country’s efforts to study the sun. Such missions play a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of space and celestial phenomena. Understanding the sun’s behaviour and the solar corona is essential for various reasons, including space weather prediction and its impact on the earth. After the success of Chandrayaan-3, the launch of Aditya-L1 has raised India’s stature across the world. Kudos to the scientists.

Sulliya Muhammad, Mumbai

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