Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah citing 'India vs Bharat' debate, has said that emotional issues are being brought out as next year's Lok Sabha elections are approaching.
The Constitution of the country was adopted on November 26, 1949 and since then the nation is known as India, the Chief Minister said.
"The preamble of the Constitution says 'We the citizens of India'. There is no need to rename India. Emotional issues are being brought out ahead of the elections," he pointed out
Quoting the saying of 12 century AD social reformer Lord Basaveshwara, Siddaramaiah said, "Dayave Dharmada Moola'- Kindness is the root of the religion."
The chief minister also said that religion does not discriminate, be it Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism or Buddhism.
A political storm started after a Rashtrapati Bhavan G20 invite mentioned 'President of Bharat' instead of 'President of India' triggering speculations whether the government was going to change the name of the country.
What gave more fuel to these speculations is a 5-day special session of the Parliament which will begin on September 18. However, there has been no official word from the government on the matter.
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