Narendra Modi has a way with words on Twitter and otherwise. But it’s the External Affairs Minister in his Cabinet who reigns the social media platform with a combination of wit, humour and well, sass.
While Tuesday’s big Cabinet reshuffle were hogging headlines, Swaraj cleverly made her presence felt – albeit virtually – in the morning’s swearing-in ceremony. She had to skip the event, but before the media could report it, she tweeted this:
The post elicited a lot of praise from Twitter users, including the media itself.
In the recent relegation of ‘serious political discourse’ to Twitter, a lot has been said about Modi. But it’s Swaraj who has been putting putting the social media website to some good (read partly intelligent, party cheeky) use.
Why, then, are we not talking enough about her?
Exponents of Social Media, But Who’s Better?
Modi has undoubtedly been an exponent of social media – even urging his ministers to follow his suit of “Twitter governance”. His fan-following on Twitter in the last two years in office has grown five times – from 4 million to over 20 million.
Despite his huge following, Modi lacks the ability to connect with citizens. Swaraj, however, more than makes up where Modi lacks.
She has not only connected with people, she has even earned for herself the title of “the most badass foreign minister on the internet”.
Last week, Swaraj took to Twitter to welcome back Sonu, a six-year-old Indian boy lost and found in Bangladesh after six long years.
Her photo-ops are symbolically heartfelt. At a time when a lot of the public discussion happens online, her actions indicate her ability to leverage the medium.
More recently, she mourned the loss of Tarishi Jain, an Indian national killed in the Dhaka cafe siege.
For the last two days, she sent out a spate of tweets, providing updates on how her ministry is doing everything it takes to get the family to Dhaka and bring her mortal remains back to the country. In doing her job, she is full of empathy.
It’s All About Interaction
Although Twitter has made politicos and celebrities accessible to the masses, their obvious power and superiority often distances them.
That’s hardly the case with Swaraj. The minister is popular for her prompt responses to calls of help.
And then, on 13 June, she revealed her witty side to netizens, earning a much deserved virtual round of applause. A Bengaluru resident approached Swaraj on Twitter with a unique complaint – to get his defective refrigerator replaced.
It wouldn’t have been surprising if the minister had chosen to ignore the man’s plea. But she decided to reply. And how.
Her tweet not only encapsulates her sense of humour, but also her humane side – a rare trait in Indian ministers.
It was almost around the same time that a frustrated Anurag Kashyap had urged Modi to step into the censorship controversy around his film, Udta Punjab.
Modi decided to disregard Kashyap’s tweet, believing that he perhaps displayed a sense of self-control.
Silent, Selective Tweeter
While Modi’s Twitter presence has been lauded by many, there has been a constant complaint – his silence over issues that matter.
Not too long ago, the JNU sedition row broke the internet. Twitter erupted with outrage, especially over the “anti-national” label. Modi, predictably, chose to remain silent.
He found himself caught up with himself, uh, his wax statue.
Modi even remained tightlipped on Twitter (and otherwise) on the rising intolerance around beef – and the Dadri lynching case. A day after Akhlaq’s brutal killing, Modi tweeted about solar projects, his trip to the US and other initiatives.
Minister of Homecoming – and Other Things
Modi’s absence only reinforces Swaraj’s presence.
She is the champion of ‘homecoming’ – besides Sonu, she successfully brought Gurpreet (rescued from a refugee camp in Germany) and Geeta (stranded in Pakistan) back home. And then, there are the high-intensity rescue operations.
Remember that time when she ensured the safe return of 140 Indians trapped in Iraq?
Or that time when the Indian Navy evacuated three Pakistani nationals?
Or the fact that she pulled off one of the largest rescue operations in war-torn Yemen?
Swaraj’s success in handling the Yemen situation prompted other countries to ask her for help.
And the list goes on.
It’s not surprising then that she is the most followed woman leader on Twitter. Modi may be way ahead of her in terms of the number of followers, but the hearts lie with her.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)