Sushma Swaraj said the general practice is that the prime minister and the external affairs minister travel separately and only then can all nations be covered. (Source: PTI photo)
On a day Opposition leaders suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi wasn’t using her abilities fully, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj hit back by showering praise on Modi. “Some colleagues have made remarks aimed at creating a wedge, spark a fire,” she said. This was after Anand Sharma (Congress), Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Sitaram Yechury (CPM) had praised her efficiency but said Modi is not making full use of her abilities in foreign policy matters. Addressing former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the House, Sushma said, “Manmohan Singhji, I want to ask you how many times you took Salman Khurshid and S M Krishna (both external affairs minister during UPA) along with you during foreign visits?”
She said the general practice is that the prime minister and the external affairs minister travel separately and only then can all nations be covered. On the charge that the prime minister is running foreign policy, she reminded the Opposition that when her predecessors were external affairs ministers, the foreign policy was PMO-driven. She said she is “fortunate” that she is working with such a prime minister during whose tenure the external affairs ministry is always consulted.
Earlier, Anand Sharma said the prime minister likes visiting foreign countries alone and wants only his picture in the frame while the external affairs minister is not apprised of many things. Sharad Yadav said he accepts that the country has got a competent external affairs minister but her capabilities are not being properly utilised. BJD’s Dilip Kumar Tirkey also praised Sushma for having done a good job. Partap Singh Bajwa praised her and added the prime minister does not take her along with him to all the countries. “We have our sympathies with the external affairs minister,” he said.
Noting the praise for Sushma by Opposition members, Yechury said he wants to add himself to the list and wished that “even the foreign policy should be handled by the external affairs minister. Why should PMO do it?”
