(Image source from: Siasat)
Minister of External Affairs of India Sushma Swaraj was trolled and abused on Sunday over a controversy involving the issuance of passports to an inter-faith couple in Uttar Pradesh.
"I was out of India from 17th to 23rd June 2018. I do not know what happened in my absence. However, I am honored with some tweets. I am sharing them with you. So I have liked them," she wrote on Twitter while "liking" numerous tweets abusing her.
Earlier this week, Passport Seva Kendra official Vikas Mishra in Lucknow was transferred after an inter-faith couple alleged that they were humiliated by him and their passport applications were rejected as the woman had not changed her surname post marriage, and that her husband was asked to "convert to Hinduism."
The following day, passports were issued to the couple and they conveyed thanks to Swaraj and her ministry. Mishra claimed that he refused to issue passport since the woman's name was different in the 'nikahnama'.
A section on social media who felt Mishra was below the belt being targeted, began posting tweets with #ISupportVikasMishra and soon they turned their ire towards Swaraj.
Swaraj, who was on a four-nation European Union visit at that time, didn't reply to any of the tweets pertaining to the issue, however, on Sunday she liked as many as 70 tweets, all of them abusing her and calling her names. Many tweets branded Swaraj as "Visa Mata" or "passport mata" and likened her involvement to grant medical visas to Pakistanis as her assist to Muslims. Some tweeple demanded that she should be removed from the Cabinet.
@narendramodi if you believe that you became PM by Hindus votes, sack this publicity hungry #visamata @SushmaSwaraj immediately. If you keep cheating Hindus, you will not be PM after 2019 May.
— Bala Jna (@BalaJna) June 22, 2018
Welcome to Delhi @SushmaSwaraj ji.
— Barkha Trehan (@trehan_barkha) June 24, 2018
Can we expect a tweet that #VikasMishra 's transfer is revoked ? INNOCENT Passport officer Vikas Mishra should get justice.
Hope my tweet is also answered with the same enthusiasm as
Sadiya Siddiqui / Tanvi Seth's tweet was @MEAIndia@MEAQuery https://t.co/6wLzW13IVX
People like actor Swara Bhaskar and journalist Barkha Dutt who have been repeatedly targetted by trolls for their stand extended their support to Swaraj. There were also tweets seeking action from Twitter against trolls.
Dear @TwitterIndia
— Ghanshyam Tiwari (@ghanshyamtiwari) June 24, 2018
You may have struggled to identify the haters on Twitter. Please look at Twitter handle of Honourable Minister @SushmaSwaraj ji. The Likes on her handle is one of the largest list you can find. #SushmaExposesBJP pic.twitter.com/KEmRLw46ag
By Sowmya Sangam
