Ahead of the vote counting, Congress MP and Chandigarh candidate Manish Tewari shared a controversial post quoting British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on June 3. Tewari quoted Churchill’s famous wartime speech, “We shall fight,” which stirred backlash due to Churchill’s role in the Bengal Famine.
Facing criticism, Tewari later stated that he would respect the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections, emphasising the strength of Indian democracy.
He remarked, “It is Tuesday, Hanuman’s day. People have expressed their opinions. The opinions are locked in the EVMs. The EVMs will open and the opinion will come out. Whatever the people’s decision will be, everyone should accept it with respect. This is the capability of Indian democracy.”
#WATCH | Congress MP and party candidate from Chandigarh Manish Tewari says, “..It is Tuesday, Hanuman’s day. People have expressed their opinions. The opinions are locked in the EVMs. The EVMs will open and the opinion will come out. Whatever the people’s decision will be,… pic.twitter.com/yptpWNkKN4
— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2024
Tewari’s post, made on the night of June 3, featured an eulogy for Churchill, the British PM during World War II, notorious for causing the deaths of millions of Indians in the Bengal Famine.
He wrote: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and on the streets, we shall fight on the hills. We shall never surrender. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940, House of Commons.”
This post came amid several similar messages from Congress leaders, allies, and supporters, suggesting an unwillingness to accept the election results unless they win. June 4, the day of the election results, saw Tewari’s post criticised for promoting a mindset of election denialism and potential chaos.
Alliance partner and former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav had also urged his supporters to be ready to fight, hinting at violence if results were unfavourable. Various leaders and activists echoed these sentiments, raising concerns nationwide.
Manish Tewari’s praise for Churchill, a figure known for his brutal policies towards India, sparked a wave of criticism online. Many questioned why an Indian politician would venerate a British colonial tyrant responsible for millions of deaths.
Rishi Bagree commented on Tewari’s post, “So basically you will fight with the Indian public for not giving you the mandate. Congress can stoop to any length just to make their frog prince the next PM.”
Kanchan Gupta wrote, “The person entirely responsible for the Bengal Famine which saw more than 3 million Indian men, women and children die of hunger now inspires Congress? How low has @INCIndia fallen? Who after Churchill? Stalin?”
The person entirely responsible for the Bengal Famine which saw more than 3 million Indian men, women and children die of hunger now inspires Congress?
How low has @INCIndia fallen? Who after Churchill? Stalin? pic.twitter.com/o5th1wqL26— Kanchan Gupta (Hindu Bengali Refugee)🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) June 3, 2024
Kartikeya Tanna added, “You found the quote of a genocidal PM of a colony that impoverished and killed millions of our countrymen through an intentionally created famine in our nation to express hope? Slow clap, Manish.”
Author Ajit Datta noted the irony of a Congress leader praising a British PM, given the party’s colonial origins.
Intent aside, it is befitting that a Congress leader quotes Churchill. After all, the original INC was created by the British establishment. https://t.co/Yps8i5kS5e
— Ajit Datta (@ajitdatta) June 3, 2024
Dr. Shivam criticised the Congress for misdirected enthusiasm, saying it should have been used during the campaign rather than fighting the media, the public, and the Supreme Court.
Congress spent all its time fighting the media, fighting voters, fighting Supreme Court, fighting ECI.
Should have spent the time fighting elections. That would have given a better result. https://t.co/RGbh7Lw4FM
— Dr Shivam ‘da’ (@angryoldman27) June 4, 2024
As of the latest updates, the counting process has begun with the first counting of postal ballots. Results for 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, 147 in Odisha, and by-polls in 25 constituencies will also be announced today. 542 candidates across the country await their political fate.
In the 2019 elections, the NDA secured 353 seats, with the BJP winning 303. The UPA managed only 93 seats, with Congress getting 52. The current Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases: April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.
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