Indian minister MJ Akbar resigns
Wednesday, 17 October 2018
India's Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar has resigned from office amid sexual harassment allegations raised by his former colleagues.
The editor-turned-politician was accused of sexual harassment by his former colleagues during his stint as editor of The Asian Age, reports NDTV.
"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 false accusations levied against me, also in a personal capacity," MJ Akbar said.
"I have, therefore, tendered my resignation from the office of Minister of State for External Affairs. I am deeply grateful to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and to the external Affair Minister Smt Sushma Swaraj for the opportunity they gave me to serve my country," he said in a statement.
Akbar, 67, has been named in multiple accounts that have surfaced in the #MeToo movement that started in India after former actor Tanushree Dutta accused her co-star Nana Patekar of harassment during a film shoot 10 years ago.