PM Modi Asks Ministers To Strongly Refute Opposition's Controversial Remarks On Sanatan Dharma, Avoid India-Bharat Debate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (6 September) instructed his ministers to strongly challenge opposition leaders who make controversial comments about Sanatan Dharma and expose them.

However, he advised his ministerial colleagues to steer clear of the political debate surrounding the Bharat issue, noting that it has been the country's ancient name.

During his interaction with the Union Council of Ministers, PM Modi discussed various issues and provided guidelines for the upcoming G20 summit. He asked them to remain in the national capital during the summit and fulfill any assigned duties to ensure the convenience of visiting dignitaries.

The ministers have been instructed to use the shuttle service instead of their official vehicles to reach the Bharat Mandapam and other meeting venues.

The Prime Minister also asked them to allow designated individuals to address G20 matters and refrain from speaking out of turn, Indian Express reported citing sources.

Addressing the political controversy sparked by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's 'eradicate Sanatan Dharma' remark, PM Modi emphasized the importance of exposing the parties and leaders responsible for such remarks and presenting the truth to the public.

The prime minister expressed admiration for the enduring nature of Sanatan Dharma throughout the centuries and asked ministers to strongly refute the suggestions made by opposition leaders.

In response to accusations from opposition leaders that the government violated the Constitution by referring to Droupadi Murmu as the "President of Bharat" and Modi as the "Prime Minister of Bharat" in official communications, ministers were advised to refrain from engaging in the debate.

According to the IE report, government sources have emphasised that the Constitution itself recognises the country as both India and Bharat, and have accused opposition parties of needlessly fueling a controversy over this matter.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi reportedly encouraged ministers to download the G20 India mobile app and utilise its translation and other features to enhance communication with foreign dignitaries.

The G20 mobile app incorporates an instant translation feature that supports all Indian languages as well as those of the G20 nations.

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra provided a detailed briefing to the ministers regarding the protocol and related matters for the upcoming summit on 9-10 September.

The summit will be attended by nearly 40 world leaders, including representatives from international organisations.

Some of the ministers are expected to act as ministers in waiting for the arriving world leaders who are attending the summit. Upon his arrival in Delhi on Tuesday, President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu was received by Union Minister of State for Health S P S Singh Baghel.

During a pre-meeting interaction, the Union Cabinet ministers were briefed on the significance of the summit for India's global image. The informal discussion lasted for approximately one hour.