New Delhi: The Public Interest Litigation- PIL which was seeking directions that the Union Government and States should use the name ‘Bharat’ instead of the name ‘India’, is today, on Friday 11th March, dismissed by the honourable Supreme Court of India, saying that the it was right to bring all kinds of emotional issues to the Court.
The decision was taken by the Supreme Court’s concerned Bench headed by Chief Justice of India- T. S. Thakur. Moreover, the CJI- Thakur told the petitioner that all such kinds of emotional issues are not be brought to the Top Court in the name of the public interest.
Moreover, while dismissing the petition, the CJI- Thakur further stated that the people who want to call the nation as ‘India’ will call it India and the people who want to call it ‘Bharat’ will call it Bharat. It was seen that there were issued notices against the Central Government and State Governments for responding over the plea sought in the Public Interest Litigation. Such notices were issued in the month of April, last year. In the PIL it was sought that the name ‘Bharat’ is to be used in place of use of name ‘India’ for all official and unofficial purposes.
Using the means of the Public Interest Litigation, people can appear before the high Judiciary against any violation of basic rights or even if any issue is believed to have been hurting the public interest. However, as a weapon this Public Interest Litigation is used by many people bring every emotional issues before the Court. Thus, this may unnecessarily take the valuable time of the Court and may also result in the hurt to the social order.
Generally, calling ‘India’ to our country does not mean that name and status of the country is anyhow hurt, however, ‘Bharat’ in general can also be used many time, without any issue.
Thus, it can be seen that the decision of the CJI- Thakur in rejecting the PIL of the petitioner identified as Niranjan Bhatwal, also rejected his plea seeking restraining of the use of name ‘India’ for the Government purposes.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan