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‘Not patriotic’: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut slams controversy around the name ‘INDIA’

2023-07-20 00:00:00.0 铸币报-政治原网页

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has claimed that people who have problems with the name India are not patriotic. He also questioned whether there wasn't another political party with the name India, taking a swipe at former ally BJP.

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In an interaction with news agency ANI, Raut noted, "People who create controversy over the name INDIA are not patriotic... Is there no other political party with the name India in it, what is Bhartiya Janta Party, Bharat is there".

Raut also argued that PM Modi used to say in his old speeches that a vote for BJP is a vote for India. However, the senior Shiv Sena leader claims that every citizen of the country is India.

INDIA vs NDA: The controversy continues

During the meeting of like-minded parties in Bengaluru, Karanataka, the opposition parties decided to call themselves INDIA, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive alliance. However, the name of the opposition alliance has become a bone of contention between the BJP-led NDA and the opposition parties.

“Our civilisational conflict is pivoted around India and Bharat. The British named our country as India. We must strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies." Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted in a veiled attempt at the opposition alliance.

Sarma's tweet drew a response from his former party colleague and Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh. Ramesh wrote on Twitter, “Is the Assam CM having a surplus of sour grapes in his mouth? His new mentor, Mr. Modi, gave us Skill India, Start-up India and Digital India—all new names for ongoing programmes. He’s asked CMs of different states to work together as ‘Team India’. He even made an appeal to Vote India!"

The senior Congress leader also said that Sarma was fine with the Prime Minister using the term India, but when 26 opposition parties called their formation INDIA, he throws a fit and argues that it reflects a 'colonial mindset'.