Minister of State External Affairs MJ Akbar returned to India on Sunday amid the #MeToo storm where he has been accused by more than one woman of sexual harassment. While Akbar had been away in Nigeria and his boss Sushma Swaraj remained silent on the issue, Akbar said that he will release a statement later.
News agency ANI tweeted about Akbar's comment on the statement earlier today:
It was last week that Akbar was accused of sexual harassment by more than one woman.
On Friday Akbar's colleague Smriti Irani had said that the women who had spoken out against him should not be shamed or vicitimised.
She had said, "Women don't go to work to be harassed. They go to work to live their dreams and earn a respectable living. I am hopeful that all these ladies who are speaking out get the justice that they deserve."
Huffpost India had reported fresh allegations against Akbar in which a US-based journalist, who interned at The Asian Age, said Akbar tried to forcibly kiss her in 2007.
BJP chief Amit Shah was quoted by The Times of India as saying on Saturday, "We have to see whether these allegations are true or false. We have to check the veracity of the post and the person who posted it."
Akbar, who is now a Member of Parliament, has worked inn several media ogranisations and has founded newspaper like The Asian Age and The Telegraph.