External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has reacted to Congress’ allegation that her ministry is controlled by Prime Minister’s Office. While addressing a press conference on achievements of four years of Narendra Modi government on Monday, Swaraj came out with an interesting answer. Swaraj also dismissed Congress’ charge that her ministry has been reduced to a mere Twitter handle.
Attacking Congress, Swaraj said, “Agar foreign policy nahi aati toh aapke prashno ka jawaab kaise deti? Lekin maanenge nahi woh.” (How would I answer your questions if I don’t know about foreign policy? But they (Congress) won’t believe).
Sushma further defended her twitter handle and said that the elitist mould of the ministry. Swaraj further said the ministry has connected “Lok Niti’’ or people-centric policies with “Videsh Niti” (foreign policy).
Replying to another similar question, Swaraj said her political career spans 41 years during which she has contested 11 Lok Sabha elections. “I know people’s problems and how to respond to calls for help,” she said.
In another occasion, Congress poll on Sushma Swaraj that ‘death of 39 Indians in Mosul is biggest failure of her ministry’ had backfired. 76 per cent respondents had reacted in a ‘no’ to the poll, giving an embarrassment to the Congress.
On Monday, Swaraj presented a report card on Modi government’s achievement on the foreign policy front in four years. Along with her deputies, VK Singh and MJ Akbar, Swaraj released a book on MEA’s achievements in the last four years. Swaraj hailed Modi government’s unprecedented outreach to the world. The foreign minister said PM Narendra Modi and other members of the government have visited at least 186 out of 192 countries in the world so far.
“I was surprised to hear that there were so many countries that our leaders didn’t go to,” Swaraj said. “When we formed our government, we thought that we will cover all the 192 countries present at the UN, for ministerial level talks. And, we have covered 186 countries already,” she added.