India
Veteran journalist n state foreign minister Akbar resigns ? Says he’ll fight the false and malicious allegations against him !
Finally, a visibly moved, veteran journalist, author and the union minister of state for external affairs M. J Akbar has resigned from the union cabinet on the tenth day after having been accused of sexual harrasment by Priya Ramani and 16 other women journalists in a ,”Mee Too campaign,” raising outrage and uproar in the political corridors and the society at large. Former union minister M. J. Akbar was in an African nation tour when the controversy allegedly involving him in the incidents of moral turpitude erupted compeliing the social media players making the shameful news viral.
In his statement issued to the media n posted in twitter by ANI, the veteran journalist, author and minister M. J. Akbar has stated that since I have decided to seek justice in the 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.
I have therefore tendered my resignation from the office of the minister of state for external affairs. I am deeply grateful to the prime minister Shri Narendra and the external affairs minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj for the opportunity they gave me to serve my company.
It may be recalled that the former minister M.J. Akbar had to resign in view of the alleged a sexual harrasment accusations of over 17 women journalists against him through the Me Too campaign while he was the chief editor in the Asian Age publication from where he had resigned in 2008 after a fued with the owner.
Just after returning back from abroad Akbar faced volley of questions from the mediamen at the Airport about these allegations which he refuted altogether as a calculated attempt to denigrate his image n that of the saffron party during the elections.
He arranged a senior and reputed lawyer Karajawala n several others who filed the criminal defamation suit against the first women journalist Priya Ramani who raised her voice through the Mee too campaign by accusing the former minister of sexually harrasing her in the past, followed by roughly 16 other women journalists.
After filing the criminal defamation suit there were mixed reactions in the social media n the press with majority of the people criticizing him for psychologically and with his money power demoralising the victim women journalist Priya Ramani n others.
But this had an adverse affect n instead of getting bogged down all the other women journalists too came forward courageously to depose in the court of law in favour of Ramani.
The BJP high command and the government had to finally relent and it is being alleged that Mr. Akbar must have been asked to resign as the matter has blown out of proportion thus bringing bad name to the party n the government, especially during the election atmosphere of the five states.