External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was on Sunday trolled and abused on Twitter 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 honoured with some tweets. I am sharing them with you. So I have liked them," she wrote on Twitter while "liking" numerous tweets abusing her.
Last week, Passport Seva Kendra official Vikas Mishra in Lucknow was transferred after an inter-faith couple tweeted alleging that they were humiliated by him and their passport applications were rejected as the woman hadn't change her surname post-marriage, and that her husband was asked to "convert to Hinduism."
The next day, passports were issued to the couple and they thanked Ms. Swaraj and her ministry. Mr. Mishra, on his part, claimed he refused to issue passport since the woman's name was different in the ‘nikahnama’.
A section on social media who felt Mr. Mishra was unfairly targetted, began posting tweets with #ISupportVikasMishra hashtag and soon they turned their ire towards Ms. Swaraj.
Ms. 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.
Ms. Swaraj on Sunday liked as many as 70 tweets, all of them abusing her and calling her names. Many tweets branded Ms. Swaraj as "Visa Mata" or "passport mata" and likened her interventions to grant medical visas to Pakistanis as her support to Muslims. Some tweeple demanded that she should be removed from the Cabinet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> if you believe that you became PM by Hindus votes, sack this publicity hungry <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/visamata?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#visamata</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> immediately. If you keep cheating Hindus, you will not be PM after 2019 May.</p>— Bala Jna (@BalaJna) <a href="https://twitter.com/BalaJna/status/1010048372823093248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Welcome to Delhi <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> ji.<br>Can we expect a tweet that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VikasMishra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VikasMishra</a> 's transfer is revoked ? INNOCENT Passport officer Vikas Mishra should get justice.<br>Hope my tweet is also answered with the same enthusiasm as <br>Sadiya Siddiqui / Tanvi Seth's tweet was <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a><a href="https://twitter.com/MEAQuery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAQuery</a> <a href="https://t.co/6wLzW13IVX">https://t.co/6wLzW13IVX</a></p>— Barkha Trehan (@trehan_barkha) <a href="https://twitter.com/trehan_barkha/status/1010762615599976449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Ms. Swaraj highlighted tweets that sought her retirement from politics, on how she was compromising on "national security", and how she might have done it "to boost her publicity." Many tweets were misogynistic and hate-driven in nature, with even her health condition not spared. She had recently undergone surgery for her kidney ailment.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Now every Tom, Dick & Harry will ask for a passport to be issued with their Twitter handle/name. Either you should cancel Tanvi's passport or issue me a passport with my Twitter name "BaD BoY" <br>What say? <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAQuery?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAQuery</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISupportVikasMishra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ISupportVikasMishra</a></p>— ఎర్రవెల్లి ఫార్మ్ హౌస్ (#BulletProof) (@d_SHADOWofDEATH) <a href="https://twitter.com/d_SHADOWofDEATH/status/1009714905044299777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have to dig out the tweet where I had written one of the top women whom I admire is <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> ..no not any more ...she is worst...no admiration any more for her..afyer kidney failure she survived for spoiling India ..?</p>— Raji (@raji7373) <a href="https://twitter.com/raji7373/status/1010456831661989889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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However, Ms. Swaraj got support from some unlikely quarters. The official handle of Congress tweeted in her favour. "No matter the situation or reason, nothing calls for threats of violence, disrespect & abuse. @SushmaSwaraj ji, we applaud your decision to call out the heinous trolls of your own party," the tweet read.
People like actor Swara Bhaskar and journalist Barkha Dutt who have been repeatedly targetted by trolls for their stand extended their support to Ms. Swaraj. There were also tweets seeking action from Twitter against trolls.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TwitterIndia</a> <br>You may have struggled to identify the haters on Twitter. Please look at Twitter handle of Honourable Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> ji. The Likes on her handle is one of the largest list you can find. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SushmaExposesBJP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SushmaExposesBJP</a> <a href="https://t.co/KEmRLw46ag">pic.twitter.com/KEmRLw46ag</a></p>— Ghanshyam Tiwari (@ghanshyamtiwari) <a href="https://twitter.com/ghanshyamtiwari/status/1010871676656078849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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