MOHAMMAD ZIYAUDDIN
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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday emphasized that the country is known by three names—Bharat, India, and Hindustan—and citizens are free to use whichever resonates with them.
Response to RSS Leader’s Statement
His remarks came in response to RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, who had recently insisted that the country should be exclusively called Bharat. Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Abdullah dismissed the debate, saying:
"We call it Bharat. We call it India. We call it Hindustan. We have three names. Whichever name resonates with you, you can call it that."
India and Bharat Coexist in Official Usage
He pointed out that both names are officially used in various institutions and documents, questioning the logic of restricting the name to just one:
- "It is the ‘Constitution of India’ and the ‘Reserve Bank of India’. Why is that? If the country’s name is Bharat, shouldn’t it have been called only that?"
- He also noted that both ‘Bharat’ and ‘India’ are written on the Prime Minister’s aircraft.
- The armed forces use Indian Air Force and Indian Army, yet people also refer to the country as Bharat.
Quoting the famous patriotic song "Sare Jahan Se Achcha, Hindustan Hamara", he said:
"Hindustan is also a name we use. You can call the country by whichever name you prefer."
On Assembly Disruptions and Budget Remarks
Responding to questions on protests in the J&K Assembly, Abdullah said:
- A committee led by the Chief Secretary has been formed to regularize daily wage workers, with a six-month deadline to finalize the policy.
- Addressing opposition criticism of his “love letter” remark regarding the budget, he said:
"The opposition has to oppose everything. That’s why they are the opposition. We did the same when we were in opposition."
He stood by his words, saying the budget was not just for BJP supporters but for everyone in Jammu and Kashmir, including voters of the National Conference, Congress, PDP, and People’s Conference.
"I have no hesitation in calling it a love letter, and I will continue writing such love letters over the next five years."
