Sushma Swaraj's apology to Monika Khangembam is not the first time she's cleaned up a mess

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj certainly doesn’t have the time to look into anyone’s refrigerator problems (refer to the tweet below) because the fiesty 64-year-old is busy putting out fires.

Brother I cannot help you in matters of a Refrigerator. I am very busy with human beings in distress. https://t.co/cpC5cWBPcz

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) June 13, 2016

Sushma is known for expeditiously dealing with various international crisis and assisting a number of people in distress in India and abroad. Ever since she took charge as the External Affairs Minister in 2014, her Twitter feed has turned into a news bulletin of sorts, a platform where distressed Indians come seeking assistance. What is admirable is the way she keeps everyone updated on the issues handled by her ministry.

Helping fellow Indians who are subjected to racial slur

On the night of 9 July, Monika Khangembam from Manipur wrote about her ordeal at the Delhi Airport on Facebook. She wrote, “The bloody racist immigration desk at it again! Looks at my Passport and says, “Indian toh nahi lagti ho”. I get that all the time so don’t react much to it but then he goes on, “Pakka Indian ho?” with a smirk. I still don’t react. What really got me was when he said, “See… You yourself need to know your Indianess. How many states are there in India?” Her note ended with an anguished appeal, “Is there a way to complain against these bullies?”

As the note went viral on social media and angry reactions poured in from all quarters, the initial response did not come from the Immigration Department or the Home Ministry, it was MEA Sushma Swaraj.

On Sunday night, she extended Monika Khangembam an apology and tweeted that though the Immigration Department is not under her ministry, she will ask Rajnath Singh to take cognisance of the incident and sensitise officials at the immigration desk.

Monika Khangembam - I am sorry to know this. Immigration is not with me./1

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016

I will speak to my senior colleague Shri @rajnathsingh ji to sensitise Immigration officials at the airport./2

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016

Monika Khangembam’s experience is definitely not an isolated incident. People from the Northeast have regularly complained about the racial discrimination and harassment they face in different parts of India. The tragic death of 19-year-old Nido Taniam in January 2014 , who was beaten to death by a group of men in Delhi, is a brutal reminder that people like Monika Khangembam will continue to feel alienated in their own country unless there are proactive measures taken up by the Centre.

Here are instances of how she has reached out to the Indians stuck in South Sudan.

I have asked Indian Embassy in South Sudan to help you. @eoijuba https://t.co/NUBvqA4xtw

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016

I will ask our Mission to help them. https://t.co/M1QmgeDqb5

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016

On 10 July (Sunday), Russian national Olga Efimenkova went on a hunger strike outside her in-laws house in Agra claiming that she, her husband and daughter were kicked out of her family home.

“I am from Russia and I got married to Vikrant Singh Chandel in Agra in 2011. My problem is that my mother-in-law has thrown us out of the house and we have no other place to go. So now I am sitting here with my daughter at the gate of the house, as she (mother-in-law) is not letting me go inside,” Olga told mediapersons. Her husband even alleged that his mother has even physically abused Olga and harassed her money. Olga received help from the Akhilesh Yadav government only after Sushma Swaraj intervened and urged the Uttar Pradesh chief minister to look into the matter.

Akhilesh ji - Pl help this lady. @yadavakhilesh https://t.co/7CZk8IU7cp

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016

Political rivalries aside, Sushma Swaraj even thanked Akhilesh Yadav for his timely help after Olga was reunited with her family.

Thank you Akhilesh ji for resolving this. Such incidents affect country's image. @yadavakhilesh https://t.co/LpKvOTEi9F

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 10, 2016

When the External Affairs Minister is not busy assisting foreign nationals in India, she has also taken it upon herself to apologise on behalf of the country for all the embarrassing and shameful incidents of racism and diplomatic faux pas.

In May this year, 23-year-old Congolese national Masunda Kitada Oliver was chased and brutally beaten to death by a group of men at Kishangadh in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj and there were a few other cases reported in Delhi where African nationals were assaulted. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh’s nonchalant and irresponsible remark that it was a minor scuffle and that the media is blowing it out of proportion had left the government red-faced.

The situation was brought under control only when Sushma Swaraj went on a damage control mode and, typical to her style, had tweeted out the latest developments. In a series of tweets, she had announced that she had briefed Rajnath Singh and Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung on the situation and have asked them to ensure the safety of the community and strict action against the guilty. She had also assured sensitisation campaigns in areas where African nationals resided.

I have spoken to Shri Raj Nath Singh ji and Lt Governor Delhi reg attack on African nationals in South Delhi yesterday./1

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 29, 2016

They assured me that the culprits will be arrested soon and sensitization campaign will be launched in areas where African nationals reside.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 29, 2016

Under operation ‘Raahat’, orchestrated by the External Affairs Ministry in April last year, 6,688 people were altogether evacuated from war-torn Yemen. “I am glad to inform that operation ‘Raahat’ conducted for the evacuation of Indian nationals from war-torn Yemen has been a resounding success, well- acknowledged by the international community,” she had said after the operation. It was touted to be one of the most successful operations carried out by India.

The evacuation operation from Yemen is over. General V.K.Singh is returning tonight. We are closing our Embassy there.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 9, 2015

After the rescue mission, Sushma Swaraj had said that 23 countries had requested India for help to evacuate their nationals from Yemen.

There have been numerous occasions when the Union Cabinet minister helped out people with their visa and passport problems. Here is one such example:

Aaradhana left Istanbul for India via Dubai. Alternate travel arrngmts made for her in consult with family1/2 @SushmaSwaraj @IndianEmbassyTR

— India in Istanbul (@CGI_Istanbul) July 5, 2016

Aaradhana had a visa problem. We will try to resolve baggage problem tomorrow. 2/2 @SushmaSwaraj @IndianEmbassyTR @pichkumoloy

— India in Istanbul (@CGI_Istanbul) July 5, 2016

The dramatic return of hearing-and-speech-impaired Indian woman from Karachi to India is another such example of the efforts that Sushma Swaraj and her minister has made in the last two years to help Indians abroad. After Indian High Commissioner TCA Raghavan met Geeta at the Edhi Foundation in Karachi where the young woman has been staying for the past 15 years after she accidentally strayed into Pakistani territory, Swaraj had vowed to bring her back to the country.

Channeling her inner Bajrangi Bhaijaan , she had said, “We will bring Geeta back to India. This requires some formalities which we will complete.”

From rescuing Indians stranded in conflict areas to sharing important helpline numbers, Sushma Swaraj with her timely updates has managed to convince and assure Indians across the world that in times of distress and international crisis, their minister is probably just a tweet away. Just be careful and don’t tweet to her about refrigerators.