MJ Akbar resigns amid sexual harassment allegations
His resignation comes after several women have come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against him
Minister of State for External Affairs has resigned following allegations of sexual harassment made by former colleagues, according to media reports.
Commenting on the matter, Akbar issued a statement saying, “Since I have decided to seek justice in a court of law, I deem it appropriate to step down from office and challenge accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity. I have, therefore, tendered my resignation from the 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 was initially defiant as calls for his resignation followed the allegations by Priya Ramani, the first complainant who accused him of misconduct during his time as Editor-in-Chief of The Asian Age. However, since then, several other women have also come forward to speak out against Akbar.
