MJ Akbar resigns as Union Minister over #MeToo allegations; 'Vindicated' Priya Ramani now hopes for justice in court

Union Minister MJ Akbar, who was accused of sexual harassment by several women journalists, has resigned from his post on Wednesday.

Journalist Priya Ramani, against whom Akbar has filed a defamation complain for sexual harassment charges, said she feels vindicated by the minister's resignation.

NEW DELHI: Union Minister MJ Akbar, who was accused of sexual harassment by several women journalists, has resigned from his post on Wednesday. Akbar said he is stepping down as Minister of State for External Affairs and will challenge "false accusation" levelled against him in his personal capacity. "Since I have decided to seek justice in a court of law in my personal capacity, I deem it appropriate to step down from office and challenge false accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity," Akbar said in a statement. "I have, therefore, tendered my resignation from the office of Minister of State for External Affairs. I am deeply grateful to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and to the External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj for the opportunity they gave me to serve my country," he added. According to sources, Akbar stepped on instructions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who forwarded with resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind. The president has accepted Akbar's resignation from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect. 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. Reacting to the development, the Congress said Akbar should have stepped down from his post earlier as he was sitting in a position of power. The National Commission for Women also welcomed Akbar's resignation and said: "We welcome the step. Women should be more courageous and take it to logical conclusion. They should take such cases to the court and believe in the law." Journalist Priya Ramani, against whom Akbar has filed a defamation complain for sexual harassment charges, said she feels vindicated by the minister's resignation. "As women, we feel vindicated by MJ Akbar’s resignation. I look forward to the day when I will also get justice in court," Ramani said.

As women we feel vindicated by MJ Akbar’s resignation. I look forward to the day when I will also get justice in court #metoo

— Priya Ramani (@priyaramani) October 17, 2018

The opposition parties were demanding Akbar's resignation after several women journalist accused Akbar of sexual misconduct during his stint as a journalist. Initially, it was journalist Priya Ramani who in a twitter post identified MJ Akbar as the unnamed editor whose inappropriate behaviour she had written about in an article last year. Later, seventeen women journalists, who have worked with 'The Asian Age', issued a joint statement, saying Ramani was not alone in her fight and requested the court to consider their testimonies.