Newsroom, Oct 17: Amid mounting pressure on him in the wake of the #MeToo storm, journalist-turned-politician M J Akbar has resigned as the Minister of State for External Affairs after allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him by as many as 15 women, many of them former colleagues. The minister issued a statement to announce his resignation.
“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. 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,” Akbar said in the statement.
Among several men who have been accused of sexual assault or harassment, Akbar was probably the most powerful among them, given the fact that he was one of the country's top journalists and an incumbent Union minister holding the external affairs portfolio.
Akbar has denied the allegations and has stated that he is stepping down as he has approached the court over the matter. Earlier, Akbar had termed the allegations "false" and "baseless" and had even questioned the timing as the country is heading towards a general election in 2019.
#MJAkbar resigns from his post of Minister of State External Affairs MEA. pic.twitter.com/dxf4EtFl5P
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
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