Jackie Shroff shares his take on India’s name change debate; says, “Naam badlenge, hum thodi badlenge”

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Jackie Shroff offers insightful perspective on India's name change debate.

As the conversation around the potential name change of India to Bharat continues to gain momentum, Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has seemingly taken a stance on the matter. During an event in Delhi on Tuesday, Jackie was asked to weigh in on the buzz surrounding this topic, and he offered his insights in his signature fashion.

Jackie Shroff shares his take on India’s name change debate; says, “Naam badlenge, hum thodi badlenge”

Speaking at the Planet India campaign event, Jackie Shroff emphasized that there is no harm in referring to the country as Bharat. He eloquently expressed, “Bharat bolna koi buri baat toh nahi hai. India hai toh India hai, Bharat hai toh Bharat hai. Mera naam Jackie hai, mujhe koi Jockey bolta hai, koi Jaykee bolta hai. Mere naam ko itna todd dete hain par main nahi badluga. Hum kaise badalege? Naam badlenge, hum thodi badlege (There is nothing bad in calling it Bharat. India is India, Bharat is Bharat. My name is Jackie but some people call me Jockey of Jaykee. They mess up my name, but I won't change who I am inside. Names could change but we won't).” In addition to sharing his insightful perspective, Jackie Shroff held a potted plant in his hand during the event, symbolizing his commitment to environmental and ecological causes.

#WATCH | On G20 Summit dinner invitations at Rashtrapati Bhawan sent in the name of ‘President of Bharat', Actor Jackie Shroff says, "If Bharat is being called Bharat, it is not a bad thing...we won't change even if the name is changed" (05/09) pic.twitter.com/PTzHE1I3Sa

— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023

For the unversed, the proposal to officially rename India as Bharat is expected to be tabled during the upcoming special session of Parliament, scheduled from September 18-22. This development has generated considerable interest and conversation across the country. The momentum for this name change began when screenshots of an official dinner invite circulated widely on social media. The invite, for a G20 dinner on September 9, bore the title “President of Bharat” instead of the conventional “President of India.” This seemingly symbolic change raised eyebrows and sparked debates among political leaders and citizens alike.

Among the voices in opposition to the proposed renaming, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh suggested an alteration to Article 1 of the Constitution to read, “Bharat, that was India, shall be a Union of States.” In contrast, several BJP leaders welcomed the idea of using Bharat as the official name for the nation. BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav expressed that a significant portion of the country was advocating for the replacement of India with Bharat. He further added, “The word 'India' is an abuse given to us by the British whereas the word 'Bharat' is a symbol of our culture...I want there should be a change in our Constitution and the word 'Bharat' should be added to it.”

On the professional front, Jackie Shroff is gearing up for his upcoming film, Baap, where he will share the screen with notable stars like Mithun Chakraborty, Sunny Deol, and Sanjay Dutt.

Also Read: Teacher’s Day 2023: Jackie Shroff pays heartwarming tribute to parents, Subhash Ghai and teachers for shaping him into the man he is today; drops priceless throwback pics