External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj has stirred up a twitter storm by blocking some popular right-wing handles on Twitter. The block feature on twitter allows users to block other users from interacting with them or viewing their tweets. There are times when we have all felt annoyed by certain tweets and have resorted to blocking people and thereby restricting the access they have to our tweets. But should a Union minister block citizens from following her on Twitter? What has led to this kneejerk response?<\/p>\n
\nHmmm Expected pic.twitter.com\/rcYv1eRyzM<\/a><\/p>\n
— Freelance bhakt (@ExSecular) December 26, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Sushma Swaraj runs a very popular twitter handle with close to 11 million followers. Many people reach out to her via twitter. Lost a passport in a foreign country? Need to travel on an emergency? Need consular access on a holiday? Whatever the issue for Indian citizens abroad, Sushma Swaraj was always a click away, resolving problems with a warm, personal touch. Though her personal intervention in individual cases won her much acclaim, she also invited criticism from those who argued that her talent was severely underutilized in the ministry.<\/p>\n
It is however her assistance to Pakistani citizens that earned her the ire of her right wing supporters and made her a target of incessant<\/a> trolling<\/a> with tweets like, \u201cThose who promised to bring us ten heads in retaliation for one are distributing visas to our enemy state,\u201d \u201cYou criticise or trash Medical Maata @SushmaSwaraj You will be instantly blocked by her.. even though shes a public offficer…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n
Since the time India tightened its visa policy for Pakistani nationals, many Pakistanis have approached Sushma Swaraj on twitter for help with acquiring medical visa on humanitarian grounds. The fact that she has been equanimous and considerate in her approach has earned her the ire of many right-wing twitterati, terming her \u201cMedical Mata\u201d and \u201cVisa Mata\u201d. The recent treatment of Kulbhushan Jadav\u2019s family by Pakistan further aggravated matters.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the tweets which led to these people being blocked, and their subsequent reactions.<\/p>\n
\nAfter 3 years in office, why isn\u2019t she able to set up a system that works without the need of her intervention in every case? She appears to be more accessible to Pakistsnis than their own govt \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffc\u200d\u2640\ufe0f<\/p>\n
— Namrata (@_Namrataa) December 20, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nAchievement unlocked: Sushma ji blocked me thanks to people tagging her in replies perhaps \ud83d\ude02 https:\/\/t.co\/eUdebMeBK7<\/a><\/p>\n
— Namrata (@_Namrataa) December 21, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nRespected @PMOIndia<\/a> @narendramodi<\/a> ji, Ma'am Sushma Swaraj ji blocked me for no reason. If i require any help then to whom shall i contact? She is free to issue Medical Visa to Pakistani but why to block Indian Citizens?<\/p>\n
This approach is not appreciable from EAM of India. pic.twitter.com\/Gwb3KADC1E<\/a><\/p>\n
— Er. Satya \u091c\u092f\u0939\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926 \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3 (@namo_satya) December 6, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nI am proud to be blocked by a minister who seeks votes from secessionists in exchange of compromised foreign policy. She is a stigma on @narendramodi<\/a> govt. pic.twitter.com\/2pDtGEJb9h<\/a><\/p>\n
— Prasun Maitra (@prasunmaitra) December 25, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Ironically many of those who are mocking Swaraj and have been blocked by her are staunch supporters of her own party, some even followed by Prime Minister Modi on Twitter.<\/p>\n
Swaraj has been sensitive to criticism and has blocked in the past as well. Anoo Bhuyan, a journalist, who was earlier blocked has since then been unblocked.<\/p>\n
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