MJ Akbar Tenders Resignation Via E-Mail After Being Accused of Sexual Harassment in #MeToo Movement?
MJ Akbar has sent his resignation to the Modi government via e-mail.
New Delhi, October 15: Former editor and Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar has reportedly tendered his resignation through an e-mail from the Council of Ministers after being accused of sexual harassment. The minister has been accused of inappropriate behaviour by female journalists in #MeToo movement. According to reports by TV channels, Akbar, who returned to India this morning, has sent his resignation to the Modi government via e-mail.
Akbar has sought an appointment with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. However, it was not clear whether his resignation was accepted. Several ministers had told the BJP high command that Akbar’s position in the government had become untenable. More than half a dozen women journalists have accused Akbar of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour when he was working as an editor at different media houses. #MeToo in India: Rahul Gandhi Breaks Silence, Says 'Space Closing For Those Who Don't Treat Women With Respect'.
On Friday, a CNN scribe Majlie de Puy Kamp accused Akbar of forcibly kissing her when she was interning with the Asian Age in 2007. Earlier, as the #MeToo movement gained momentum, FORCE magazine Executive Editor Ghazala Wahab, in an article on a news portal, wrote an account of her "harrowing experience" with Akbar.
Former Mint Lounge Editor Priya Ramani, who wrote about a predatory "celebrity editor" without naming anyone in a piece last year, on Monday publicly identified Akbar as the central character of her article. Other female journalists who have levelled allegations against Akbar include Prerna Singh Bindra, Sujata Anandan, Shuma Raha, Harinder Baweja and Anju Bharti.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 14, 2018 11:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).