TCN News:
A week ago about 10 women journalists made public allegations of sexual harassment against current BJP central government minister MJ Akbar. These women said that going back to 1990s, on various occassions, when they were working with or reporting to the Telegraph and Asian Age newspapers, that MJ Akbar was editor of , he subjected them to physical and verbal sexual abuse. The abuse comprised of forcible groping and touching the bodies of these women journalists and making lewd propositions to them. In India the women’s #MeToo movement has launched a campaign on behalf of women who were sexually abused by men in powerful positions.
The charges on Akbar who is junior External Affairs minister in the central Indian government appear to be substantive and detailed. Charges of molestation incidents spanning about 20 years detail the incidents with facts and appear credible.
Kaleem Kawaja, Executive Director, Association of Indian Muslims of America, Washington DC, speaking on behalf of a sizeable number of Indian-Americans condemned such atrocious behavior by a gentleman who in the past indulged in such vile behaviour towards women, and who is now a minister in the central Indian government. This is unethical and intolerable and brings bad name to India.
The Association of Indian Muslims of America, in their press statement released on 15th october have demanded that MJ Akbar resign forthwith from the central Indian cabinet and then defend himself against the charges in a court of law. It is inconceivable that a current minister of the central government has in the past behaved in such an immoral manner with so many women.