NEW DELHI: In a controversial statement, BJP leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan has said the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct was started by "people with perverted minds". He also asked if it was fair to level accusations over incidents that happened years ago. The BJP leader said this when asked about the #MeToo movement during which allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against MJ Akbar, who had resigned as Union Minister on Wednesday.

"If someone makes an allegation that such a thing happened.....when the incident happened we were playing together while in class 5....Would it be fair?.. "This (MeToo movement) is the result of the behaviour of some people who have perverted minds," PTI quoted Radhakrishnan, Union Minister of State for Shipping and Finance as saying.

Noting that the 'MeToo' movement had sullied the image of the country and women, he wondered if it would be right for men to start "making similar accusations like them". "That will be such a big insult....Will it be acceptable?" Radhakrishnan said.

The Modi government was facing flak from the opposition parties after columnist Priya Ramani and several other women journalists accused MJ Akbar of sexual misconduct.

Many journalists from multiple media platforms have come forward with their stories of harassment against MJ Akbar under the social media campaign '#Metoo' against sexual misconduct. Akbar, however, has denied the allegations and on Monday filed a private criminal defamation complaint against Priya Ramani, one of the accusers.

Priya Ramani was the first to come out against Akbar. It was followed by the accounts of travails undergone by other women journalists, including Ghazala Wahab who accused him of molestation. Several celebrities including actors Nana Patekar, Alok Nath, filmmaker Subhash Ghai, author Chetan Bhagat, singer Kailash Kher and Tamil lyricist Vairamuthu are among the few who have been called out by their alleged victims.