New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by many women, returned to New Delhi from Nigeria on Sunday. The Minister was on an official visit to the African nation. After his return, the Minister has kept mum and refused to answer any questions regarding the allegations made against him by several women on social media.
According to ANI, when the junior minister was confronted by reporters who wanted his reaction on the allegations that have come up in the wake of the #MeToo movement on social media, Akbar said, “There will be a statement later on,” and refused to divulge any further.
Notably, MJ Akbar had come under the scanner when as many as 14 women, which included several eminent journalists, came forward on social media and alleged that Akbar had sexually harassed them. The first to name Akbar was journalist Priya Ramani who revealed that her article against sexual harassment published in Vogue Magazine last year was against him.
Post the shocking revelations, opposition parties have demanded the ouster of MJ Akbar from the government. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party has largely remained silent on the issue, with Party’s National President Amit Shah saying that the government was yet to hear Akbar’s side of the story on the entire frasca. He added that charges against Akbar will be examined before taking any action.
Prasanta Patnaik