India or Bharat? This is what Article 1 of the Indian Constitution says
Article 1 of the Constitution which sets the tone for the entire constitutional framework starts with both 'India' and 'Bharat.'
The particular article is considered as the foundational provision that establishes the Union of India.
Conversations regarding the name change has started because of reports claiming that Narendra Modi-led government is expected to bring a resolution for changing India's official name to 'Bharat' during the special session of Parliament, scheduled from September 18-22
What is Article 1?
India to be renamed 'Bharat'? Govt may bring resolution in Parliament's special session
Article 1 says “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”
This particular article of the Constitution is a crucial statement as it lays down what our nation will be called.
The draft of Article 1 was adopted on September 18, 1949, which was moved by the chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr. Ambedkar.
How did the Drafting Committee decide?
In order to decide what would be used in Article 1, there was a debate at the time the Constitution was being drafted.
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The committee was divided into two groups, one portion preferred Bharat, and the other favoured India.
The Constituent Assembly then decided to use both the terms in the statement.
Whether the Indian subcontinent is better known as India or Bharat was also debated by the Drafting Committee. Before the Constitutional Assembly in 1949, the country was known as Bharat, India, and Hindustan.
One of the members, H V Kamath who was vehemently against the statement that was finalised was of the view that Bharat was the oldest name and thus,
