MJ Akbar, accused of sexual harassment, should come clean or quit, says Congress

Union Minister and former editor MJ Akbar has been accused of sexual harassment by some women journalists as the #MeToo campaign gathered momentum in India. MJ Akbar is the most high profile figure to be named in the #MeToo movement.

MJ Akbar, minister of state for external affairs. Photo: AFP

NEW DELHI: MJ Akbar, former editor and Minister of State for External Affairs, must come clean on the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him or step down from the Union Cabinet, the Congress demanded on Wednesday. Addressing a press meet here, Congress spokesperson Jaipal Reddy said MJ Akbar must either offer a satisfactory explanation on the allegations of sexual harassment against him or resign immediately. "He should either explain the charges through a statement or personally or should resign. The charges are serious and they should be probed independently," Congress spokesperson Reddy told the media. How can he be in the ministry with serious allegations being levelled against him by responsible journalists who worked with him, he said, adding that the Congress demands an inquiry into "MJ Akbar's conduct". The Congress also targeted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for her silence on the issue. "We had hoped that women cutting across political lines will come out in support of these brave women who have now come out and revealed their ordeal and tragic stories. Unfortunately, Sushma Swaraj, to whom many look up to for inspiration, has chosen to stay quiet," IANS quoted Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi as saying. Some women journalists, including Priya Ramani and Ghazala Wahab, have accused MJ Akbar of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour during his stint as a journalist. Meanwhile, the government continued to dodge media questions on charges against MJ Akbar. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who briefed reporters about cabinet decisions, refused to answer any question other than those pertaining to cabinet decisions, including that on Akbar and the #MeToo campaign. "Today the issue is cabinet decisions, please concentrate on that," he said in response to a question about allegations against Akbar. Earlier on Tuesday, Sushma Swaraj ignored a question on MJ Akbar when she was asked whether the government intended to take any action against her junior minister. The #MeToo movement has intensified in the country with more women recounting their experiences of sexual harassment in the entertainment and media industry.