Congress leaders don't know importance of Twitter: Sushma Swaraj

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj dismissed the Congress’ charge that the foreign ministry under the Narendra Modi government has been reduced to a mere Twitter handle and that all policy matters are being decided solely by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Defending her Twitter handle, which she uses largely to respond to calls for help, Swaraj on Monday said that her ministry had broken the elitist mould and connected “Lok Niti’’ or people-centric policies with “Videsh Niti” (foreign policy).

Replying to a question at her annual press conference, 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.”


Swaraj went on to say that if she had no understanding of foreign policy she would not have been able to answer queries on foreign policy. “I am repeating again – at the Doklam faceoff site there is no change in the situation, status quo is continuing,” she said.

However, she cautioned against falling prey to non-existent disputes between the two countries. “I got a tweet from someone who was visiting Mansarovar that they were not being allowed to take a holy dip in the Mansarovar jheel (lake). This wasn’t the situation. There is always a designated place where you can take a bath; you cannot take a dip just anywhere in the lake.”

ON TIES WITH PAKISTAN
Swaraj said India is ready for talks with Pakistan if the neighbouring country stops aiding terrorism. “We have never said we are not ready for talks. But there is a caveat – terror and talks don’t go together,” she said on Monday.