External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s compassion for Indians living in foreign countries is very well known. Her ministry is always ready to help distressed Indians living and working in foreign countries. She is one of the most popular ministers in PM Modi’s cabinet. Just one tweet and Sushma Swaraj is ready to help out the needy ones. External Ministry under Sushma Swaraj has become active like never before. Since 2014 her ministry has saved 90,000 Indians, worldwide.
90,000 people from Indian community have been rescued from various places. In his visits to many countries, PM has saved many people from severe punishments. Today, Indians living overseas are living peacefully: EAM Sushma Swaraj pic.twitter.com/GOKTTheaOc
— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2018
The External Ministry once again showed it proactive approach. It has successfully managed to secure the release of 31 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were stranded in Iran after their employers in Iran refused to return their passports. On Tuesday, External affair minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “I am happy to inform that 21 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were stranded at Nakhitaghi (Iran) have been released with the efforts of Indian Embassy in Iran and our Consulate at Bandar Abbas.” She further said, “We are repatriating them to Chennai in batches starting from August 3, 2018.”
I am happy to inform that 21 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were stranded at Nakhitaghi (Iran) have been released with the efforts of Indian Embassy in Iran and our Consulate at Bandar Abbas. We are repatriating them to Chennai in batches starting from 3rd august 2018.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 31, 2018
Last month, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami requested Prime Minister to order the Indian embassy in Iran to help stranded Fishermen there. In a letter, he said, “I request you to direct the Embassy of India in Iran to take all measures to ensure immediate repatriation of these poor innocent Indian fishermen. Necessary steps may also be taken to ensure that the fishermen receive their just and due wages.”
Once again External Ministry under Sushma Swaraj showed its compassion for Indians. However, many a times Sushma Swaraj has faced criticism for her proactive approach. By her opponents she is referred as TWITTER MINISTER. Sushma Swaraj answered to this criticism very boldly. Sushma Swaraj had responded by saying that a ministry which used to be run behind closed doors and had no interaction or did nothing for the people on the ground, had now changed its course. Her ministry had broken the elitist mould and connected ‘Lok Niti’ (People-centric policies) with ‘Videsh Niti’ (Foreign Policy). She defends her twitter activity by stating that having been in public life for decades, she understands how much people require the government’s help and she has tried her level best to provide it through the ministry. She said, “My political career spans 41 years during which I contested 11 Lok Sabha elections. I know people’s problems and how to respond to calls for help. We have linked foreign policy with people-centric policies. Probably Congress leaders do not know the importance of Twitter, which I use to respond to calls from distressed, stranded people”. She also stated that, “I don’t sleep and I don’t let our ambassadors sleep”.
She had said that there are many who have made fun of her and her ministry for being so proactive and helping people through social media. However, it isn’t funny for the thousands who have been rescued or have received any help from the ministry after getting in touch through social media. She said, “You can make fun of it, but ask those Indians who have been stranded.”