Guwahati, July 26, 2023: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has continued to mock the Congress party over the recent renaming of the Opposition alliance as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Sarma on Wednesday accused the alliance of lacking respect for the term “Bharat” (India) and suggested that using the term “India” might be an attempt to undermine or attack the nation.
Enemies of Bharat frequently exploit the term 'India' with the intention of undermining or attacking Bharat. The British employed the name East India Company to colonize our Motherland , the Mujahideen used the name Indian Mujahideen (IM), and Al-Qaeda used the name Al Qaeda…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 26, 2023
In a series of tweets, CM Sarma drew historical parallels, mentioning how the British utilized the name “East India Company” to colonize India and how extremist groups like the Mujahideen and Al-Qaeda have used terms like “Indian Mujahideen (IM)” and “Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)” to target the nation.
Asserting Bharat’s resilience, CM Sarma emphasized that despite such attempts, India would triumph over these challenges once again. Earlier, he had criticized the opposition alliance’s name “INDIA” by claiming that it was a name imposed by the British during the colonial era.
Sarma’s comments came after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced the name “Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance” for the opposition coalition that would contest against the ruling NDA in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The name change has sparked political jibes and discussions surrounding the historical significance and identity of the nation.
