When Sushma Swaraj tweeted a reply about a faulty refrigerator

NEW DELHI: Sushma Swaraj is a busy person, no doubt. The External Affairs Minister has to do all the heavy lifting when her Prime Minister makes one of his numerous trips abroad. Still, she finds it's important to be active on Twitter.

And active, Minister Swaraj is.

On Monday, a gentleman whose Twitter handle is@M_venkatM, asked Minister Swaraj and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan for help with a company that wasn't replacing his faulty refrigerator.

"Dear Ministers, @Samsung_IN sold me a defective refrigerator, they r not ready to replace ...Samsung REFRIGERATOR (RT28K3922RZ/HL), bearing serial # (03E04PAH201870M). @Samsung_IN is forcing me go for repair", he tweeted.

@irvpaswan @SushmaSwaraj Dear Ministers, @Samsung_IN sold me a defective refrigerator, they r not ready to replace pic.twitter.com/G87Jwh6slD

— Venkat (@M_VenkatM) June 13, 2016

@irvpaswan @SushmaSwaraj Samsung REFRIGERATOR (RT28K3922RZ/HL), bearing serial # (03E04PAH201870M). @Samsung_IN is forcing me go for repair.

— Venkat (@M_VenkatM) June 13, 2016

Now, most people - even common Twitterati who aren't ministers - would probably ignore a tweet like that if they received it, assuming it was sent to them in error.

Not the intrepid Swaraj, though.

She replied to Venkat's tweet saying, "Brother I cannot help you in matters of a Refrigerator. I am very busy with human beings in distress."

Brother I cannot help you in matters of a Refrigerator. I am very busy with human beings in distress. https://t.co/cpC5cWBPcz

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 13, 2016

The savvy minister knows she has a Twitter following like her colleague Smriti Irani, and, sure enough, there were a barrage of comments about her reply.

And the comments followed ...

One fan tweeted, "that's the coolest reply : awesome". Another said, " Hilarious. Insane. Can't stop laughing!" Yet another said, "lolz! The Lady got some humor as well hahahaha."

Then there were the outright fawners. "Sushma Ji, it was so kind of you to even revert for this tweet. Really appreciate this", one said. "hahaha mam very funny this is.Actually ppl r so impressed wid u that they feel u can solve any of their problems" said another.

@SushmaSwaraj hahaha mam very funny this is.Actually ppl r so impressed wid u that they feel u can solve any of their problems

— varun mehra (@varunmehra) June 13, 2016

Some were mock-outraged that such a mundane question is being asked of the honourable minister. "What are you smoking dude????" was the questions asked of a hapless Venkat. "Kaise kaise namune hai desh me?", was another comment. That means, "Look at the specimens we have in our country."

@SushmaSwaraj @gabbarni kaise kaise namune hai desh me?

— Udta Super Natwarlal (@vichupedia) June 13, 2016

To which, yet another person's response was : "ha ha ha...and you are also replying.. Truly Sush-Ma".

Doesn't brook criticism

Minister Swaraj is known for dealing equally energetically with people who tweet criticism of her, even if they happen to be from her party.

In February 2014, before the Modi government came to power, she famously got into a spat on Twitter with BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman over a strategy to deal with the creation of Telangana as a state. She tweeted "With Spokespersons like @nsitharaman, u (you) don't need enemies".

Swaraj may have mellowed over the last two years. Yesterday,some used her reply to grill her on political issues.

"Sushma Ji, 2 Years. 39 Indians hostage of ISIS in Iraq. You assured they r alive. Since you are busy with humans, any update?", was a question posed to her.

@SushmaSwaraj Sushma Ji, 2 Years. 39 Indians hostage of ISIS in Iraq. You assured they r alive. Since you are busy with humans, any update?

— Joy (@Joydas) June 13, 2016

She didn't reply.

Made a fan for life?

Venkat's a happy man, though and the minister has probably made a fan for life, with her reply.

"mam, tq u 4 rply. now at least ppl will be aware of @Samsung_IN disgraceful service and products with ur reply", he tweeted.

@SushmaSwaraj mam, tq u 4 rply. now at least ppl will be aware of @Samsung_IN disgraceful service and products with ur reply.

— Venkat (@M_VenkatM) June 13, 2016

And, another avid media watcher correctly made a somewhat accurate prediction based on all the responses to Swaraj's tweet.

“Hahaha! This will make newspaper headlines tomorrow @Samsung_IN will send a new refrigerator now.”