On Sunday, Puducherry governor Kiran Bedi was heavily criticised on Twitter for celebrating the French victory in Russia and saying 'We the Puducherrians' won.
She wrote on Twitter: "We the Puducherrians (erstwhile French Territory) won the World Cup. Congratulations Friends. What a mixed team-all French. Sports unites."
A lot of Twitter users however felt the enthusiasm was misplaced, given Puducherry was a France colony and it displayed a colonial mindset.
How Twitter reacted:
Later defending her tweet, Kiran Bedi wrote: "When one shares joy it multiplies. #Puducherry is a place of celebrations and shared joy.
It’s spiritual and nature gifted. It has inherited its water harvesting infra from the French. People are grateful to them for the Tanks,Lakes,Ponds, Canals & Channels.We owe a lot to them."
She also defended herself and told ANI: “You had to see Pondicherry yesterday, we streamed the FIFA final on the beach, people in Pondicherry are very proud of their French heritage. People felt related to the French team, they felt a part of them won the World Cup.”
After facing flak over her congratulatory tweet for France’s World Cup win, Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Monday said everyone was thrilled over the win hence; she was sharing joy with the Puducherrians.
‘People here are very proud of their French heritage. Everyone was thrilled because they felt connected with the win. I was sharing joy with the Puducherrians,’ Kiran Bedi told reporters here.
The Puducherry Lt Governor gave a fodder to the tweeple on Sunday after she congratulated Puducherrians, terming it erstwhile French Territory, on the victory of France in FIFA World Cup.
Taking to social media, Bedi said that Puducherrians, the erstwhile French Territory, won the World Cup.
Soon after her tweet, the users of the micro-blogging site ridiculed her and even asked her to pull the tweet down.
"We are Indians Madam. Your publicity stunts need to stop.." said one of the trollers.
On related note, France on Sunday won its second FIFA World Cup title after defeating Croatia in a high-octane final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Russia.
In a tournament filled with dramatic ups and downs, France stood tall in the end, keeping cool at all times despite not being in its sublime form in the group stage.
