MEA was elitist during Cong rule, we made it people-centric: Swaraj

A combative External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today came down heavily on the Congress over its criticism that she only takes care of her Twitter handle while the PMO dictates the foreign policy.

At a press conference, Swaraj also rejected Congress' criticism that the government was unable to deal with the Chinese build up in Doklam and India's all-weather ally Russia was now leaning towards Pakistan.

Swaraj said the Ministry of External Affairs was an elitist ministry during the Congress rule it was made accessible to the common man in the last four years.

"We have worked to integrate people's policy into the foreign policy. The insensitive people may make fun of it. Ask those Indians who are stuck in a foreign land. They (Congress) will understand when one of their own gets stuck," she said.

 

Swaraj is known for her prompt response on Twitter to requests for help from Indians in distress.

"The MEA had an elitist approach during Congress rule. We transformed it to a people-centric ministry," Swaraj said.

She said the Ministry of External Affairs during "the Congress rule was an elitist ministry, it had nothing to do with the common people. I am now connecting MEA with commoners".

Elaborating on the help being provided to those in need, Swaraj, in a lighter vein, said, "I do not sleep and also do not let the Indian envoys sleep."

Giving a hard-hitting reply to Congress' criticism, Swaraj also said she has been in politics for 41 years, fought 11 elections and knows peoples' problems as she has been elected to the Lok Sabha.

"If I do not anything about foreign policy, then how I am replying to questions on it," she retorted.

On Doklam, she said the international community complimented India for managing to resolve the standoff through diplomacy and dialogue.

She said there were apprehensions that the standoff would not be resolved without going to war.

"Doklam has become their (Congress) obsession. There is no change in the status quo at the face off site in Doklam," said Swaraj.

She also rejected Congress' charge that Russia was getting close to Pakistan.

"Look at the visuals of Sochi informal summit between President Vladimir Putin and our PM. Russia is not going away from India," she said.