Kiran Bedi gets trolled for congratulating Puducherry on France's FIFA win; provides clarification

Bedi congratulated Puducherrians for France’s win in FIFA football world cup 2018 terming it erstwhile French Territory. She later said that her intent was to share their happiness.

Image: Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi/ PTI-File Photo

New Delhi: First woman IPS officer and the lieutenant governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi on Sunday stirred a controversy with her latest tweet and ended up getting trolled on the micro-blogging website. She later provided an explanation for her tweet. Evoking unpleased reaction from tweeple, Bedi congratulated Puducherrians for France’s win in FIFA football world cup 2018 terming it erstwhile French Territory. She later said that her intent was to share their happiness. Taking to Twitter, Bedi said that Puducherrians, the erstwhile French Territory won the World Cup. She tweeted, "We the Puducherrians (erstwhile French Territory) won the World Cup. ???????? Congratulations Friends. What a mixed team-all French. Sports unites." Though the tweet had laughing emoticons, many of the users were clearly not humoured.

We the Puducherrians (erstwhile French Territory) won the World Cup. ???????????????? Congratulations Friends. What a mixed team-all French. Sports unites.

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) July 15, 2018

Now, Bedi is a popular figure on Twitter with more than 11 million followers and Twitter is a mean world where nobody is spared, especially if it is someone popular. Soon after her tweet, the Twitter user 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.

We are Indians Madam. Your publicity stunts need to stop..

— KPL_Leader (@KplLeader) July 15, 2018

Madam please delete this tweet, this does not suit the high office your occupying or at least issue a clarification

— 297.15 Kelvin (@mad4cricket) July 16, 2018

In her other tweets, Bedi provided the clarification for her first tweet. She wrote: "We in Puducherry wanted France to win the WorldCup as the UT of Puducherry has a very memorable historical bond with France. Thousands of Puducherrians have maintained close ties with France. France also generously supports Puducherry in several ways. She also tweeted with a newspaper clipping: "Congrats my brothers & sisters in Puducherry. We won. In Puducherry we can build on this spirit of celebration by promoting football in UT by organising inter village, inter town and inter city football tournaments. It costs just ONE ball to unite,as was visible in French Team."

Congrats my brothers & sisters in Puducherry. We won. In Puducherry we can build on this spirit of celebration by promoting football in UT by organising inter village, inter town and inter city football tournaments. It costs just ONE ball to unite,as was visible in French Team pic.twitter.com/8K8PKziNnF

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) July 16, 2018

Good #MorningNutrition. We in Puducherry wanted France to win d #WorldCup as d UT of Puducherry has a very memorable historical bond with #France. Thousands of Puducherrians have maintained close ties with France. France also generously supports Puducherry in several ways @ANI pic.twitter.com/02o8zJ3l4S

— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) July 16, 2018

She also wrote that people of Puducherry are emotionally attached to French culture. She further wrote that in Puducherry people have still kept French heritage intact in White Town and that her intent behind tweeting on France's victory was to share their happiness. Supporting colonialism was never her intent, she said. A user commented on her last tweet:

Your statement "we won".. Contradicts your explanation! I never knew that Puducherry is a foreign land... And we might need visa to land there...! #begaanishaadimaiapnimadamdiwaani

— Laksh (@PalLaksh) July 16, 2018