Opposition parties on Tuesday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would change the name of the country for the sake of elections, reacting with outrage to speculation that India might no longer be called India.

“After non-BJP forces united to dethrone the fascist BJP regime and aptly named their alliance INDIA, now the BJP wants to change India to Bharat. The BJP promised to transform India, but all we got is a name change after nine years! Seems like the BJP is rattled by a single term called INDIA because they recognise the strength of unity within the Opposition. During the elections, ‘India’ will chase the BJP out of power,” Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK leader M.K. Stalin said.

A G20 invite sent out by Rashtrapati Bhavan in the name of “The President of Bharat” has triggered the conjecture about a possible attempt to formally change India’s name in the special session of Parliament called from September 18.

“The BJP’s destructive mind can only think of how to divide people. Once again, they are creating a rift between Indians and Bharatiyas. Let’s be clear — we are the same! As Article 1 says — India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. This is petty politics because they are scared of INDIA. Try what you will, Modiji. Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA!” Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said, invoking the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the INDIA alliance.

Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said: “Their response shows they are terribly rattled. But will you change the name of the country because some parties have formed a coalition named INDIA? Can the country, which belongs to 140 crore people, be renamed by a party for electoral considerations? Tomorrow, if we name our coalition Bharat, you will again change the name of the nation? What name will you choose for India then — BJP? Is this how you will treat a great country? This is gaddari (treason).”

Bihar deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said: “The Prime Minister earlier used to chant — Vote for India. Now he fears INDIA. Narendra Modi is scared. In frustration, he wants to change the name India. What about our tagline — Judega Bharat, Jeetega INDIA? What about India on everything — from passport to Aadhaar card? How much cost this change will entail?”

Arguing this was an age of stupidity, an angry RJD Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha said: “We didn’t know they are such weak people. Barely a few weeks into the formation of the Opposition alliance and they are so scared that they want to change India’s name? They can’t snatch India or Bharat from us. The people, who love both India and Bharat, will snatch from them the only thing they have now — majority in the Lok Sabha!”

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said: “So the news is indeed true. Rashtrapati Bhavan has sent out an invite for a G20 dinner on September 9 in the name of ‘The President of Bharat’ instead of the usual ‘President of India’. Modi can continue to distort history and divide India, that is Bharat, that is a Union of States. But we will not be deterred. After all, what is the objective of INDIA parties? It is BHARAT — Bring Harmony, Amity, Reconciliation And Trust. Judega BHARAT Jeetega INDIA!”

Ramesh added: “Remember it was the BJP that came up with ‘India Shining’ to which the Congress’s response was ‘Aam aadmi ko kya mila’? Also remember that it was the BJP that came up with Digital India, Startup India, New India and so on to which the Congress’s response was the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the first anniversary of whose launch is the day after tomorrow.”

He went on: “The Prime Minister presides over a WMD factory — Weapon of Mass Diversion. Divert from increasing price rise, rising joblessness and falling incomes....”