Akbar's departure shows effectiveness of #MeToo

The resignation of M.J. Akbar as minister of state for external affairs on Wednesday was practically forced from him. It is, however, a positive for the effectiveness of the Indian edition of the #MeToo campaign.

As woman after woman who had worked with Mr Akbar when he edited newspapers came out in public on the sexual harassment, molestation and humiliation they suffered at his hands in a naked abuse of power, his position had become increasingly untenable.

Mr Akbar said he was resigning to fight as an individual the criminal defamation case he has filed against one of his accusers. What a pity this thought came to him three days too late. Decency and public ethics demanded he should quit forthwith. But he didn’t. In the end, the courage of the Narendra Modi government, that kept him propped up all through the disturbing week of allegations, crumbled. The signal clearly went out to the minister that he better throw in the towel.

The RSS too evidently crumbled and may have counselled the government privately that Mr Akbar’s continuance would be a liability. However, the so-called “sanskari” body propagating adherence to the “Hindu way of life”, whatever that may mean, besides doing morning military-style drills, which of course has nothing to do with any religion, sharply rebuked the #Me Too campaign in public.

Organiser, which for all practical purposes is the RSS’ official mouthpiece, recently said editorially the #MeToo campaign was “elitist”, and had little to do with ordinary women who suffer sexual humiliation at the hands of ordinary men. The inference was that we needn’t bother with the allegations against Mr Akbar.

The assumption of course was that the current campaign against predatory men in high positions wouldn’t impact elections, and that the Akbar affair would blow over. The editorial also noted that #MeToo was linked to the industries involving glamour and money. Perhaps there’s a suggestion that morals in such places are a slippery matter, so why bother.

There was no thought for women as people — regardless of class and educational background, no shred of pathos, no reference to civilisational or ethical values — in such an assessment, leave alone the issue of constitutional morality as applicable to a minister. The RSS view was loose — that all allegations should be enquired into. What a pearl of wisdom? Is a private sector case on the same footing as that of a government minister (indeed news organisation have taken action)?

Mr Akbar went to court as a minister. Was this possible without the government’s encouragement? As matters stand, however, the RSS’ public position has been shredded. When an entity is on dubious moral ground, it can slip. The force of rising public opinion became too strong to resist in the end — for the government and the Sangh.