Colonial Legacy Debate : Assam CM’s Remarks on India’s Name

On Wednesday, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) retaliated against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had taken a swipe at the opposition coalition by stating that the British had named the country India. It sparked a Colonial Legacy debate among the parties.

The Twitter War

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter on Wednesday to respond, stating that Sarma should convey this to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had introduced names like ‘Skill India,’ ‘Start-up India,’ and ‘Digital India’ for various programs in the country. Ramesh wrote, “Is the Assam CM having a surplus of sour grapes in his mouth? His new mentor, Mr. Modi, gave us Skill India, Start-up India, and Digital India—all new names for ongoing programs.”

Ramesh added, “He’s (Modi) asked CMs of different states to work together as ‘Team India.’ He even made an appeal to Vote India!” He further expressed that when 26 political parties formed their coalition with the name INDIA (Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance), Sarma threw a fit and claimed that the use of India reflected a “colonial mentality.” Ramesh suggested that Sarma should convey his concerns to his own leader.

Ramesh also shared an old video of Modi urging voters to “vote for India.” Sarma had initially tweeted, “Our civilizational conflict is pivoted around India and Bharat. The British named our country as India. We must strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies.” He emphasized the importance of fighting for “Bharat” while referring to the efforts of the forefathers.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also criticized Sarma on Twitter, stating, “Himanta, find a better tweet writer. This one makes you appear foolish. Your fight seems to begin with your geo-location on your Twitter bio??”

The opposition parties, comprising 26 political parties, recently formed the INDIA grouping to collectively challenge the ruling NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi emphasized that the fight would be “between INDIA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” However, on Wednesday, they chose ‘Jeetega Bharat’ (India will win) as the alliance’s tagline to defeat the BJP in the 2024 general elections. The decision was made following late-night deliberations, and the tagline is expected to be used in various regional languages.

Echoing the sentiments of the Congress, Clyde Crasto, NCP spokesperson, questioned when the BJP would change its Twitter handle, stating, “Himanta Biswa Sarma says ‘British named our country India; we must free ourselves from colonial legacy.’