SC to hear PIL on replacement of word 'India' with 'Bharat' on June 2

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking amendment of Article 1 of the Constitution of India and replacement of the word ‘India’ with “Bharat” to instill a sense of pride in our own nationality.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking renaming of India as Bharat, for hearing on June 2.

The matter will be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopanna, and Justice Hrishikesh Roy on June 2. Due to the absence of CJI, SA Bobde, the petition was adjourned.

The petition stated that "English name" India should be changed to Bharat so that people get over Britain's colonial past and instill a sense of pride in our nationality. "This has lead to the loss of identity and ethos as inheritors of the hard-worn freedom from foreign rule. We will also justify the hard-fought freedom by our freedom fighters," contends the petitioner.

Earlier, in 2016, a similar petition was dismissed by the top court saying that it is not the duty of the court to deal with emotional issues and the PILs shall be filed for helping the poor or protection of fundamental rights.

Moreover, nobody stops from calling the country as Bharat, the petitioner could do so, added the bench comprising of Justice UU Lalit and TS Thakur who had then dealt with the petition in 2016.

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