'Statement later,' says #MeToo-accused MJ Akbar after landing in Delhi

New Delhi: Union Minister MJ Akbar arrived in New Delhi this morning amid calls for his resignation over #MeToo allegations from several women over past few days.

According to government sources, a final call will be taken by the Narendra Modi government on whether to retain MJ Akbar as a minister or concede to the demand for his removal, reported NDTV.

Akbar, the Minister of State for External Affairs, was in Nigeria when his name was taken in a #MeToo allegations thread on social media. Most of the women have accused him, of sexual harassment are journalists who worked with him earlier during his days as an editor.

According to ANI, MJ Akbar after coming out of Delhi airport said, “There will be a statement later.”

Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday said, "Anybody who is speaking out should in no way be shamed, victimised or mocked".

Commenting on MJ Akbar, she said, "I think that it is for the gentleman concerned to issue a statement, not for me as I was not present there".

Maneka Gandhi, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, too asked for an investigation against him.

Political parties like Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen have demanded Akbar's removal as a minister.

The sexual harassment charges against MJ Akbar began with a tweet by journalist Priya Ramani on October 8, in which she said that an article she wrote for Vogue India a year ago on her experience was actually about MJ Akbar.