MJ Akbar, a veteran journalist who is junior foreign minister, was named in a tweet (File)
Highlights
- MJ Akbar is believed to be in Nigeria
- MJ Akbar was named in a tweet by journalist Priya Ramani
- "We'll get you all one day," was Ms Ramani's parting shot
Union Minister and former editor MJ Akbar has been accused of sexual harassment in the snowballing #MeToo movement in India that began with a thread on Twitter. His boss Sushma Swaraj, the Union Foreign Minister, did not respond when she was asked today about any action against the minister.
"There are serious allegations...these are sexual harassment allegations. You are a woman minister in charge. Will there be a probe on the allegations," Tribune reporter Smita Sharma questioned Ms Swaraj. The minister walked past without a word.
MJ Akbar is believed to be in Nigeria.
A veteran journalist and junior foreign minister, MJ Akbar was named in a tweet by journalist Priya Ramani, who had first shared her account a year ago when the #MeToo campaign exploded in the US with the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
Several tweets had talked about "the editor who helmed a unputdownable newspaper" and similar hints before the name was put out in the public domain.
Priya Ramani named him as the editor she had written about in a magazine article in October last year.
More journalists came out with allegations after the tweet.
Priya Ramani had not named MJ Akbar when she wrote in the Vogue India article - addressed to "Dear Male Boss" - about her experience after she was invited by him to a plush Mumbai hotel for an interview. He allegedly called her to his room, offered her a drink and asked her to sit close to him.
"We'll get you all one day," was Ms Ramani's parting shot in the article titled "To the Harvey Weinsteins of the world".
Harvey Weinstein, an Oscar-winning film producer, has been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and assault.
If you would like to share any information relevant to NDTV, please email worksecure@ndtv.com