Union Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar on Sunday said he will consider legal action against the women who have accused him of sexual harassment. Akbar, who returned from an official tour in Africa earlier on Sunday, issued a press statement in which he called the allegations of misconduct false, fabricated and “spiced up by innuendo and malice”. Akbar has served as the editor of several newspapers including The Telegraph, Asian Age and The Sunday Guardian. He is currently a Bharatiya Janata Party MP in the Rajya Sabha. “Accusation without evidence has become a viral fever among some sections,” Akbar said in a statement. “Whatever be the case, now that I have returned, my lawyers will look into these wild and baseless allegations in order to decide our future course of legal action.” The minister claimed the allegations had come up only before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “Why has this storm risen a few months before the General Election? Is there an agenda? You be the judge. These false, baseless and wild allegations have caused irreparable damage to my reputation and goodwill,” he added. He alleged that journalist Priya Ramani began a campaign against him by writing an article in a magazine. “She did not however name me as she knew it was an incorrect story,” he said. “When asked recently why she had not named me, she replied, in a tweet, ‘Never named him because he didn’t “do” anything.’” In last year’s Vogue India article, Ramani described how an acclaimed newspaper editor called her for a job interview to his “plush south Mumbai hotel” when she was 23 and he was 43. The editor – who she last week claimed was MJ Akbar – did not meet Ramani in the hotel lobby and insisted that she meet him in his room. There, he offered her a drink. Though she refused, he drank vodka himself. She alleges that he went on to sing old Hindi songs to her and at one point, asked her to sit close to him. Soon after Ramani’s tweet, other journalists, including Shuma Raha, Ghazala Wahab and Shutapa Paul, also accused Akbar of calling women to his hotel rooms for interviews, or making women feel uncomfortable by seeking to be alone with them. A sea of innuendo, speculation and abusive diatribe has been built around something that never happened, said Akbar. “Shutapa Paul states, ‘The man never laid a hand on me’, Shuma Raha says, ‘I must clarify, however, he didn’t actually ‘do’ anything’. One woman, Anju Bharti, went to the absurd extent of claiming I was partying in a swimming pool. I do not know how to swim,” he said. He further said Wahab had accused him of molesting her 21 years ago, “in an effort to damage” his reputation. “The only office where I worked with Ghazala Wahab was that of The Asian Age,” said Akbar. “A part of the editorial team then worked out of a small hall. At the time concerned, I had a very tiny cubicle, patched together by plywood and glass. Others had tables and chairs two feet away. It is utterly bizarre to believe that anything could have happened in that tiny space, and, moreover, that no one else in the vicinity would come to know, in the midst of a working day. These allegations are false, motivated and baseless.” He said it was important to note that Wahab and Ramani continued to work with him despite the alleged incidents. It clearly establishes that they had no apprehension and discomfort, he said. “Reason why they remained silent for decades is very apparent as Ramani has herself states, I never did anything,” he said. The Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Samajwadi Party among others had demanded an explanation or a resignation from Akbar following the allegations. Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to sack Akbar from his post. Akbar, however, did not comment on the demands for his resignation. The BJP has maintained silence on the allegations with senior ministers avoiding to comment on the government’s position on the matter. Union minister Smriti Irani said the onus of commenting on the allegations lies with the “gentleman concerned” while Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj evaded a question on the government’s stance on Akbar. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also refused to comment on whether the government will act against Akbar. She told News18 that she is “not the right person to comment on it”. Since October 5, several women have used social media to make allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against various journalists, media professionals and writers. Here’s his full statement: The allegations of misconduct made against me are false and fabricated, spiced up by innuendo and malice. I could not reply earlier as I was on an official tour abroad. Accusation without evidence has become a viral fever among some sections. Whatever be the case, now that I have returned, my lawyers will look into these wild and baseless allegations in order to decide our future course of legal action. My response is: Ms Priya Ramani began this campaign a year ago with a magazine article. She did not however name me as she knew it was an incorrect story. When asked recently why she had not named me, she replied, in a Tweet: “Never named him because he didn’t ‘do’ anything.” If I didn’t do anything, where and what is the story? There is no story. This was admitted at the very inception. But a sea of innuendo, speculation and abusive diatribe has been built around something that never happened. Some are total, unsubstantiated hearsay; others confirm, on the record, that I didn’t do anything. Let me note examples. Shutapa Paul states, “The man never laid a hand on me.” Shuma Raha says, “I must clarify, however, that he didn’t actually ‘do’ anything”. One woman, Anju Bharti, went to the absurd extent of claiming I was partying in a swimming pool. I do not know how to swim.<doc-sep>MJ Akbar has been accused of sexual harassment by at least 11 women journalists. (Photo: Facebook/MJAkbar) Union minister MJ Akbar has said the allegations of sexual harassment against him are "fabricated" and "spiced up". He said he will take legal actions against the women journalists who have levelled these allegations against him. "The allegations of misconduct made against me are false and fabricated, spiced up by innuendo and malice. I could not reply earlier as I was on an official tour abroad," he said. Akbar in a statement to news agency ANI said, "Accusation without evidence has become a viral fever among some sections. Whatever be the case, now that I have returned, my lawyers will look into these wild and baseless allegations in order to decide our future course of legal action." ALSO READ | No point debating it, my apologies, Akbar told parents after harassing me: US journo Questioning the veracity of the allegations, Akbar asked why have these allegations been raised just before the 2019 Lok Sabha election. "Why has this storm risen a few months before a general election? Is there an agenda? You be the judge. These false, baseless and wild allegations have caused irreparable damage to my reputation and goodwill." "Lies do not have legs, but they do contain poison, which can be whipped into a frenzy. This is deeply distressing. I will be taking appropriate legal action," the minister said, rubbishing all allegations of sexual harassment. Akbar was on an official trip to Africa when these allegations emerged and landed in Delhi on Sunday morning. At the airport, initially he refused to comment on the matter. But when pressed on by the media to speak up, he gave a one-line comment: "statement will be issued later on". ALSO READ | MeToo: What our netas have said on allegations against MJ Akbar Akbar, a former journalist, faces serious allegations of sexual harassment. The allegations have been made by a number of women journalists, who have come forward as part of the #MeToo campaign that has been raging on the social media. The accounts are from a time when Akbar held senior editorial positions in media firms. The women have narrated how Akbar used to conduct meetings and interviews in hotel rooms and exhibit "predatory" behaviour. The first allegation against Akbar was made by journalist Priya Ramani. She has spoken about the alleged crime in an article for Vogue last year without naming him. However, recently, she said the person in the article was none other than Union minister MJ Akbar. ALSO READ | MeToo: How the movement began Speaking on her allegation, Akbar told ANI: "Priya Ramani began this campaign a year ago with a magazine article. She did not however name me as she knew it was an incorrect story. When asked recently why she had not named me, she replied, in a tweet: 'Never named him because he didn't 'do' anything.'" "If I didn't do anything, where and what is the story? There's no story. But a sea of innuendo, speculation abusive diatribe has been built around something that never happened. Some are total, unsubstantiated hearsay; others confirm, on the record, that I didn't do anything." Referring to the allegations levelled by another women journalist, Ghazala Wahab, he said it is "an effort to damage my reputation". "She claimed that she had been molested in office, 21 years ago. This is 16 years before I entered public life, and when I was in media. The only office where I worked with Ghazala Wahab was that of The Asian Age." ALSO READ | UK-based journalist writes how MJ Akbar offered her massages, tried to kiss her "A part of the editorial team then worked out of a small hall. At the time concerned, I had a very tiny cubicle, patched together by plywood and glass. Others had tables and chairs two feet away. It is utterly bizarre to believe that anything could have happened in that tiny space, and, moreover, that no one else in the vicinity would come to know, in the midst of a working day. These allegations are false, motivated and baseless." Moments after Akbar landed in India, senior journalist Ghazala Wahab demanded PM Modi to sack Akbar immediately. She said if the Modi government allows Akbar an escape, then it should also "bury" its 'Beti Bacho, Beti Padhao' slogan. After maintaining silence for days, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday told a local news channel that the party will look into the case and "verify the allegations" against Akbar. ALSO READ | Here's what 11 women journalists have accused MJ Akbar of Amit Shah also said, "We have to check the veracity of the post and the person who posted it. You can also post something using my name. We will definitely look into the issue." On the other hand, the Congress had been demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak up on the issue. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday said, "Why is the PM silent on such an important issue?" Earlier, the party had demanded that Akbar should step down as the minister of state for external affairs. Within the Modi government, women ministers like Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi had earlier spoken on the issue. ALSO READ | What our netas have said on allegations against MJ Akbar While Maneka Gandhi said the matter should be probed, Irani maintained that Akbar must come forward and issue a statement on it. BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has also demanded Akbar's resignation and called for an investigation against him. Speaking to India Today TV, he said the accounts given by the women journalists are prima facie evidence against Akbar. The 11 women journalists who have levelled allegations against Akbar include two foreign journalists. One of them was just 18 when she was allegedly harassed by Akbar. WATCH | MJ Akbar lands in Delhi, says there will be a statement later on<doc-sep>He was first named on Monday by senior journalist Priya Ramani, who retweeted an article she had written for Vogue India a year ago titled "To the Harvey Weinsteins of the world", where she recounted what she called her first experience of workplace harassment.<doc-sep>MJ Akbar has been accused of sexual harassment by around a dozen women. Union Minister MJ Akbar, who has been accused by nearly a dozen women as a sexual predator during his days as a newspaper editor, would not resign, sources told NDTV. The government has nothing to do with the accusations against him and his stepping down may set a bad precedent, sources said. "Why has this storm risen a few months before a general election? Is there an agenda? You be the judge. These false, baseless and wild allegations have caused irreparable damage to my reputation and goodwill," MJ Akbar said, over accusations of sexual harassment. In response to questions from journalists at the Delhi airport, Mr Akbar said, "There will be a statement later on". The women who have accused Mr Akbar of sexual harassment in the #MeToo campaign sweeping the nation are mostly journalists who worked with him or appeared for job interviews when he was editor. Here are the updates on this big story: Oct 14, 2018 19:55 (IST) Journalist and author Nilanjana Roy calls Minister MJ Akbar's statement refuting the allegations as "disgusting". Disgusting. Remember, this is how powerful men try to bury the voices of the women who speak up against them - with deflection, bluster and accusation. And then remember and read their testimonies of sexual harassment over the years. https://t.co/tDhNsPi5TG - Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) October 14, 2018 Journalist and author Nilanjana Roy calls Minister MJ Akbar's statement refuting the allegations as "disgusting". Oct 14, 2018 19:18 (IST) "Hubris piled on to impunity", says Lawyer Karuna Nundy after MJ Akbar rejects sexual harassment allegations and warns of legal actions. Hubrise piled on to impunity. Because #MJAkbar is of course the BJP's star draw. #MJAkbarMustGohttps://t.co/c15J5x2hE1 - Karuna Nundy (@karunanundy) October 14, 2018 "Hubris piled on to impunity", says Lawyer Karuna Nundy after MJ Akbar rejects sexual harassment allegations and warns of legal actions. Oct 14, 2018 18:55 (IST) Union Minister Ramdas Athwale says, "If a person is accused of something it must be investigated. Many people have been found guilty in the MeToo movement. But I think proper enquiry should be done. However, there can also be an attempt to defame politicians as well as actors." Union Minister Ramdas Athwale says, "If a person is accused of something it must be investigated. Many people have been found guilty in the MeToo movement. But I think proper enquiry should be done. However, there can also be an attempt to defame politicians as well as actors." Oct 14, 2018 18:32 (IST) Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai questions PM Modi's silence on the allegations against Minister MJ Akbar. Why has a storm arisen only before the elections, Is there an agenda asks @mjakbar . A dozen professional women have an agenda? ARE YOU SERIOUS sir? And @PMOIndia conspicuously silent on his mantri! Now, You be the judge.. - Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) October 14, 2018 Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai questions PM Modi's silence on the allegations against Minister MJ Akbar. Oct 14, 2018 17:50 (IST) "Shame the Indian republic", says journalist Sagarika Ghose after MJ Akbar today dodged calls for his resignation and said allegations of sexual harassment against him were "false, fabricated and deeply distressing". More than 10 women are all telling lies, Mr @mjakbar ? And it's happening because of ELECTIONS? You shame the Indian republic https://t.co/XA5gpKcSSB - Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) October 14, 2018 "Shame the Indian republic", says journalist Sagarika Ghose after MJ Akbar today dodged calls for his resignation and said allegations of sexual harassment against him were "false, fabricated and deeply distressing". Oct 14, 2018 17:38 (IST) Journalist Maha Siddiqui talks about the difficulty of #MeToo movement after MJ Akbar refutes allegations. The testimony of over half a dozen women pitted against a 2-page statement of one man #MJAkbar. Speaks volumes about how difficult the #MeToo campaign is. pic.twitter.com/iFkOQkUIAd - Maha Siddiqui (@SiddiquiMaha) October 14, 2018 Journalist Maha Siddiqui talks about the difficulty of #MeToo movement after MJ Akbar refutes allegations. Oct 14, 2018 16:28 (IST) Reason why Priya Ramani and Ghazala Wahab remained silent is apparent, says Minister Akbar MJ Akbar says, "Pertinent to remember Priya Ramani and Ghazala Wahab kept working with me even after these alleged incidents. It clearly establishes they had no apprehension and discomfort. Reason why they remained silent for decades is very apparent, as Ms Ramani has herself stated, I never did anything." Oct 14, 2018 16:21 (IST) How will no one else in vicinity not know, questions MJ Akbar He says, "It is utterly bizarre to believe that anything could have happened in that tiny space, and, moreover, that no one else in the vicinity would come to know, in the midst of a working day. These allegations are false, motivated and baseless." Oct 14, 2018 16:16 (IST) Minister Akbar refutes journalist and author Ghazala Wahab's accusations MJ Akbar denies Ghazala Wahab's account of harassment. He says, "She claimed that she had been molested in office, 21 years ago. This is 16 years before I entered public life, and when I was in media." Continuing with it, he says, "The only office where I worked with Ghazala Wahab was that of The Asian Age. A part of the editorial team then worked out of a small hall. At the time concerned, I had a very tiny cubicle, patched together by plywood and glass. Others had tables and chairs two feet away." Oct 14, 2018 16:12 (IST) Besides Priya Ramani, the other women who spoke out against MJ Akbar include Prerna Singh Bindra, Ghazala Wahab, Shutapa Paul, Anju Bharti, Suparna Sharma, Shuma Raha, Malini Bhupta, Kanika Gahlout, Kadambari M Wade, Majlie de Puy Kamp and Ruth David. Oct 14, 2018 16:12 (IST) Naming other woman who have spoken out against him, he quotes accounts of theirs and says, "Shutapa Paul states, "The man never laid a hand on me." Shuma Raha says, "I must clarify, however, that he didn't actually 'do' anything". One woman, Anju Bharti, went to the absurd extent of claiming I was partying in a swimming pool. I do not know how to swim."<doc-sep>
(With inputs from agencies) #MeToo: MJ Akbar calls charges 'wild and baseless', threatens legal action NEW DELHI: Minister of state for external affairs MJ Akbar on Sunday called the allegations of sexual misconduct against him "false and fabricated" and threatened to take appropriate legal action.Akbar, in a statement after returning from abroad, said that accusations without evidence have become a viral fever among some sections and that his lawyers will look into the "wild and baseless" allegations against him. The minister, however, did not indicate whether or not he would step down from his position. "The allegations of misconduct made against me are false and fabricated, spiced up by innuendo and malice. I could not reply earlier as I was on an official tour abroad," the minister said according to news agency ANI. "Accusation without evidence has become a viral fever among some sections. Whatever be the case, now that I have returned, my lawyers will look into these wild and baseless allegations in order to decide our future course of legal action," said the minister.He further said, "Why has this storm risen a few months before a general election? Is there an agenda? You be the judge. These false, baseless and wild allegations have caused irreparable damage to my reputation and goodwill. "Lies do not have legs, but they do contain poison, which can be whipped into a frenzy. This is deeply distressing," Akbar said in his statement.Saying that Priya Ramani began the campaign a year ago with a magazine article, Akbar said, "She did not, however, name me as she knew it was an incorrect story. When asked recently why she had not named me, she replied, in a tweet; 'Never named him because he didn't 'do' anything. "The junior foreign minister said, "The allegation is a sea of innuendo, speculation and abusive diatribe that has been built around something that never happened. Some are total, unsubstantiated hearsay; while others confirm, on the record, that I didn’t do anything. "In the statement, he said, "Shutapa Paul states, 'The man never laid a hand on me.' Shuma Raha says, 'I must clarify, however, that he didn’t actually ‘do’ anything'. One woman, Anju Bharti, went to the absurd extent of claiming I was partying in a swimming pool. I do not know how to swim. "Another accusation was made repeatedly by Ms Ghazala Wahab, in an effort to damage my reputation. She claimed that she had been molested in office, 21 years ago. This is 16 years before I entered public life, and when I was in media. The only office where I worked with Ghazala Wahab was that of The Asian Age. A part of the editorial team then worked out of a small hall. At the time concerned, I had a very tiny cubicle, patched together by plywood and glass. Others had tables and chairs two feet away. It is utterly bizarre to believe that anything could have happened in that tiny space, and, moreover, that no one else in the vicinity would come to know, in the midst of a working day. These allegations are false, motivated and baseless," he said reacting to the Ghazala Wahab's accusations. "Pertinent to remember Ramani and Wahab kept working with me even after these alleged incidents; clearly establishes they had no apprehension and discomfort. Reason why they remained silent for decades is very apparent,as Ramani has herself stated, I never did anything," he added.Akbar's reaction came days after he was accused of sexual misconduct in the midst of a raging #MeToo campaign that has gained momentum in India. Several women journalists shared their experiences on social media, giving details of the alleged misconduct by Akbar when he held senior editorial positions at a number of media organisations.BJP president Amit Shah had said the charges against Akbar would be examined, even as he added that the veracity of the allegations levelled against the minister would need to be checked as well.