Journalists demand Akbar’s dismissal

Agroup representing women journalists has written to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the dismissal of Union Minister M.J. Akbar, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a number of women.

The Network of Women in Media in India (NWMI) also demanded that the Ministry of External Affairs, where Akbar is Minister of State, should ask him to step down from office pending an independent investigation.

“We are extremely concerned that he continues to be a minister even as he pursues whatever legal action he plans,” NWMI said in its letters to the President and the Prime Minister on Monday.

“You will agree that this is highly unethical and improper and will cast a cloud over any investigation into his alleged misdeeds, besides undermining the independence, justice and fair play that any citizen can expect from such proceedings,” they added.

Akbar on Monday sued Priya Ramani, the journalist who first named him in the #MeToo campaign, for defamation. The NWMI said that it is “a clear attempt to bully, intimidate and silence those bringing to light systemic abuse of women by men in powerful positions”.

Jatin Das accused

Meanwhile, Conservationist Nisha Bora yesterday accused artist Jatin Das of sexually harassing her at his Khidki village studio in 2004, which Das refuted as “ridiculous and vulgar”.

“I visited Jatin in his studio, which was in Khidki village... The next thing I knew, he attempted to grab me. I wriggled out of his embrace, flustered. Then he did it again. This time, he managed a clumsy kiss on my lips,” Bora tweeted.

Das denied the allegations.

“This is horrifying. What else can I say? It’s cheap,” said Das.