S Jaishankar starts Sushma Swaraj-style Twitter helpline

New Delhi: Donning the new hat of external affairs minister, Dr S. Jaishankar has started following the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor Sushma Swaraj and taking to Twitter to respond to distressed Indians abroad.

Though present on Twitter from May 2017, Dr Jaishankar actually got active just two days back (on May 31) with his first tweet after being sworn in as India’s new external affairs minister, and immediately started responded to distress calls. In the past two days, he has arranged for travel documents for an Indian family that lost its passport while on a trip to Italy and Germany, and organised help for some Indian workers “trapped” in Oman.

“We are on a family trip to Germany and Italy. Now I’m in Torbole, Italy. My, my husband’s and my son’s passport were stolen along with my bag. We are going to Munich by 3rd and travelling to India by 6th. Please help,” wrote a woman named Mahalaks-hmi on Twitter on June 1.

Dr Jaishankar replied on Twitter: “Our Embassy in Rome/ Consul General in Munich will extend all assistance. Please be in touch with them @IndiainItaly @cgmunich.” The Twitter trail had both Indian missions in Italy and Germany (Munich) responding promptly to Mahalakshmi, giving her contact details of the officials concerned.

There was another distress message for Dr Jaishnakar on Sunday from Oman, to which he responded promptly and directed the Indian embassy there to help.

 “Our Embassy in Oman is trying to resolve this. Please continue to stay in touch with them @IndEmb_Muscat,” Dr

Jaishankar responded to a tweet from one Mr Vineeth Nair, saying: “Sir please help us we are 3 persons are trapped in Oman please help.” The Indian embassy informed both Mr Nair and Dr Jaishnakar that it was already in contact with the employer who has agreed to visit the embassy after Id.

“Hello Sir.... please please please help me. I want my husband to be back to India he is not responding to court summons escaping and staying peacefully in Kuwait. Neither his parents allowing me to stay at their place,” wrote a woman through Twitter handle Afim. Dr Jaishankar replied to her saying the Indian embassy in Kuwait was already working on it and asked her to be in touch with them.

Apart from responding to Indians in distress, the new minister also came to the rescue of his government to allay fears of “imposition of Hindi in southern states” through the National Education Policy.

In response to a debate and threat to hold protests over the issue, Dr Jaishankar tweeted first in Tamil and then its translation in English, saying: “The National Education Policy as submitted to the Minister HRD is only a draft report. Feedback shall be obtained from general public. State Governments will be consulted. Only after this the draft report will be finalised. GoI respects all languages. No language will be imposed.”

Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was one of the most followed foreign ministers in the world, with a Twitter following of 12.8 million. Dr Jaishankar, in just a short span of time, has 167, 704 followers. His Twitter following is increasing on a daily basis, so is the work on the social media for the man who as India’s foreign secretary had always worked behind the scenes.