Look at this scenario:
I head a Company as Managing Director. My Office Tea Boy comes to me everyday to decide how many cups of tea is to be prepared every day, what biscuits is to be given. Later, he goes to the Super Market and calls me from there as to which brand of Tea, Coffee or Sugar is to be purchased. Any I publicize this act of mine in the Company Journal!
Before you start thinking "What the heck?", "Is this for real?", "Does this guy call himself a Managing Director?", "Doesn't he have better things to do?", let me ask you,
"HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM INDIA'S EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER'S ACT OF RESPONDING TO EVERY SILLY TWEET FROM OVERSEAS INDIANS ASKING FOR HELP, AND SHE TAKING ACTION ON IT?"
And our Media gives her maximum coverage, with comments section flooded with comments as to how Sushma is the best Foreign Minister India has seen!!
Frankly, it is all fine she is helping out individuals who tweet her, including someone who wanted a visa for his girl friend from Pakistan, so that they can get married! (and this when both the countries have hostile relationships!!).
Let me reiterate... this is NOT WHY SUSHMA SWARAJ is one of the Senior Most Ministers in Modi's Cabinet.
Her job is to improve India's relationship with all Foreign Countries, Manage the IFS, Improve Trade Relations and ensure India has a very high standing in the World.
Her job is to DEVELOP SENSITIVITIES IN INDIAN EMBASSIES so that Expatriates grievances are handled promptly by the respective Indian Officials in the Embassies.
I am an Expatriate for the past 16 years and can tell you that our Embassy officials treat us like dirt, even now. Nothing has changed. They are arrogant, rude and absolutely insensitive. One has to face humiliation even for getting routine things done like renewal of a passport or getting a document attested. Recently a colleague of mine, whose wife is in Canada, was planning on a 3 month visit to Canada, and had plans to travel with her. He had just two blank pages in the passport, and approached Indian Embassy in Oman to get it renewed. They refused saying he has enough space left in the PP!!. This was a genuine request turned down because of a stupid technicality and insensitiveness to an Indians genuine need. And this happened one month ago! Nothing has changed at the Embassy level, and getting it changed is Sushma Swaraj's job, and NOT THE PR EXERCISE she is undertaking now.
I have nothing against her. She is indeed one of the hard working ministers who has stayed away from controversies, and has taken a secondary role under Modi, who is aggressive on foreign policy. But I really wish she will buckle down to bring about changes in the system, than bailing out isolated individuals.
