External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who has been facing a backlash on Twitter since the Lucknow passport episode, has finally hit back with a sharp reply. Earlier today, Swaraj responded to Sonam Mahajan’s tweets, by blocking her and declaring it in a tweet.
Mahajan, in a tweet, had encouraged Swaraj to block her on Twitter.
On 21 June, Tanvi Sethi, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, tweeted to the External Affairs Minister after her passport application was rejected by officer Vikas Mishra. Sethi, who is married to a Muslim man, alleged that she was humiliated by the officer who suggested she change her Hindu name. As a response to Sethi's plea, Swaraj promptly got her passport approved and appealed for the transfer of Vikas Mishra.
Condemning the actions taken against Mishra, Sonam Mahajan, who is known for her vociferous online presence, tweeted to Swaraj, accusing her of being biased towards the couple. After being silent on the trolling chapter for days, BJP ministers extended their support to Swaraj recently.
The External Affairs Minister, who has a large follower base, is known for blocking her critics on Twitter. In December 2017, Swaraj blocked Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa for repeatedly asking her questions about the 39 missing Indians in Iraq. Similarly, in July 2016, Swaraj blocked a popular satirical Twitter account, ‘History of India’ for unknown reasons.
Sonam Mahajan has been sidelined on Twitter on many occasions. In 2017, Mahajan’s twitter handle was temporarily suspended after she allegedly asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal some ‘uncomfortable’ questions.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)