Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s proactive role in helping Indians trapped in trouble across the world has won her enormous amount of praise not only in the country, but internationally as well. An American daily has called her the ‘Supermom of State’. In a report, the US-based Washington Post notes that ever since taking up the job of India’s External Affairs Minister, Swaraj has “carved out an unlikely role for herself as a crusading Supermom of State.” The daily even quotes Foreign Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup saying that Swaraj’s “personal interventions on social media are really an extension of her personality”
Swaraj has been one of the most active BJP leaders on social media for long. After becoming India’s foreign minister, the 64-year-old leader has been at the forefront of socially-mediated grievance redressal in India, seconded only probably by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Some leaders like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also responded to citizens requests on social media and extended necessary help on several occasions.
Also read: When little girls dressed up as ‘Super mom of the State’ Sushma Swaraj
The use of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook for governance is something probably unique to India. Sree Srinivasan, digital officer of New York City, who was recently at the Indian Express to conduct a workshop, had also noted this novel trend, which, he said, one can’t expect from leaders in the US.
In the last one month itself, Swaraj has helped thousands of stranded Indian workers in Saudi Arabia, helped a woman, who had lost her passpost, join her husband on honeymoon, and secure release of a charity worker Judith D’Souja from kidnappers in Afghanistan.
Praising Swaraj, Washigton Post says, “Working late into the night at home, Swaraj tweets back, calling them ‘my child’ and assuring them that help is on the way — whether they are trapped in conflict zones, experiencing visa problems or need to replace lost passports.”
Not only the Washington Post, Swaraj has received praise from several other foreign media. Buzzfeed even called her “the most badass foreign minister on the Internet.”
Indians would be happy if other leaders also start following in the footsteps of Swaraj soon.
