MJ Akbar forced to resign as #MeToo storm rises

New Delhi: Under severe pressure after being accused of sexual harassment by several women, minister of state for external affairs M.J. Akbar resigned Wednesday evening, a day ahead of the first hearing of the defamation case filed by him in a Delhi court. In a statement, Mr Akbar said he thought it “appropriate” to resign since he had decided in his personal capacity to challenge the accusations in court. However, sources said the BJP’s top brass had decided it was time for an embattled Mr Akbar to step down. Sources further said the decision on Mr Akbar’s resignation was taken after BJP president Amit Shah had a meeting with national security adviser Ajit Doval to discuss the issue on Tuesday. Prior to that meeting, Mr Doval also met Mr Akbar and then home minister Rajnath Singh before meeting the BJP president. President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted the resignation of Mr Akbar.

Political observers noted it was becoming increasingly untenable for the government and the BJP to ignore the allegations and withstand the pressure amid calls from the Opposition for his resignation. There was also growing discomfiture within the BJP that the allegations against Mr Akbar and his continuation as a minister could have an adverse electoral fallout, especially in urban areas. Also, if a sitting Union minister appeared in court to fend off allegations of sexual harassment, it could have proved even more embarrassing for the government and the BJP.

Journalist Priya Ramani, who was one of those who levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Akbar and against whom Mr Akbar filed a defamation suit, said she felt “vindicated” by the resignation.

In a statement, Mr Akbar said: “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 the false accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity. I have therefore tendered my resignation from the office of MoS external affairs. I am deeply grateful to PM Narendra Modi and to EAM Sushma Swaraj for the opportunity they gave me to serve my country.” Mr Akbar is the first minister in the Union government to resign after the #MeToo campaign against sexual harassment of women gathered steam in India. He had initially refused to quit on Sunday.

Several women journalists, including Ghazala Wahab, Priya Ramani, Shutapa Paul and Shuma Raha, had made allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Akbar. Pressure mounted on Mr Akbar to resign after as many as 20 women journalists signed a petition speaking of the “culture of casual misogyny, entitlement and sexual predation” that Mr Akbar had “engendered and presided over”. In her reaction on Twitter, Ms Ramani wrote: “As women we feel vindicated by MJ Akbar’s resignation. I look forward to the day when I will also get justice in court.”

The Congress Party said Mr Akbar’s “belated resignation is a result of the persistent pressure put by women who have shared their horrific and uncomfortable stories”. It added: “We in the Congress Party salute the women who stood their ground despite the brazen stance of the Modi government. It was the Congress Party which first asked for Mr M.J. Akbar’s resignation on October 10th. It is a women’s movement for the women and by the women.”

Hours after returning to New Delhi on Sunday morning after an official visit to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, Mr Akbar had refused to step down from his post and denied the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by several women. He termed these as “viral fever”, saying these were “false and fabricated, spiced up by innuendo and malice”, and added he would be “taking appropriate legal action”.

While Mr Akbar’s initial decision not to resign was also believed to have been taken after consulting the BJP top brass after he explained his side of the story, there was a growing feeling that Mr Akbar’s decision not to resign would provide ammunition for the Opposition in the election season.

Mr Akbar is a Rajya Sabha member belonging to the BJP. The Congress had been attacking the government on the matter, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence was “conspicuous and unacceptable”.