‘Using nation’s name to gain power’: BJP leader writes to ECI after opposition alliance named INDIA

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Advocate Ashutosh J Dubey on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), registering his objection against the renaming of the 26-party opposition alliance as INDIA.

Dubey, the head of BJP Maharashtra’s social media-legal and advisory department, took to Twitter to share the photographs of his official complaint letter to the ECI, titled ‘Complaint against the renaming of the United Progressive Alliance as Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance’.

In a separate Twitter post, Dubey accused the opposition of “using the name of our nation as a mere tool to gain power”.

Dubey said that in case the opposition loses, people will say that ‘INDIA has lost’, which will lead to ‘national insult’.

Dubey writes letter to ECI flagging INDIA acronym of opposition alliance

In the letter to the ECI shared on Dubey’s Twitter handle, the advocate wrote, “I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of great concern and discomfort regarding the recent renaming of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This action has caused widespread dissatisfaction and is viewed as a deliberate attempt to exploit the name of our nation for political aspirations, which I believe is a disrespect to the country and its citizens.

“While I understand that political parties have the right to choose their names and develop their strategies for electoral success, it is crucial that they do so without undermining the dignity and integrity of our nation. By associating their political agenda directly with the name of our country, the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) has not only shown a lack of originality but also appears to be using the name of our nation as a mere tool to gain power.

“Furthermore, in future ‘If party win – People would say ‘INDIA has won,’ but if Party lose, then People would say ‘INDIA has lost,’’ promotes a sense of national insult.

“It implies that the outcomes of the election are tantamount to the victory or loss of the entire nation, disregarding the diverse views, aspirations, and democratic rights of individual citizens. Such a sweeping statement not only undermines the pluralistic nature of our democracy but also attempts to manipulate public sentiment for political gain.

“I kindly request the Election Commission of India to investigate this matter thoroughly and ensure that political parties adhere to ethical standards when choosing their names and formulating slogans. It is imperative that the sanctity of our nation’s name is upheld, and political parties are discouraged from exploiting it for their personal political agendas.”