#MeToo: Rape allegation against former Indian minister M J Akbar
Indian journalist in the US wrote a column in The Washington Post with details of her allegations
Dubai: New allegations against senior Indian journalist and former junior foreign minister M J Akbar have caused a storm on social media.
M J Akbar was one of the most discussed topics on Twitter on Friday in India as US-based journalist Pallavi Gogoi accused him of rape during her time working with the newspaper Asian Age.
@pgogoi, who is now the chief business editor at US’s National Public Radio, tweeted her story from The Washington Post and wrote: “Thanks to the journalists who have spoken out before me. I stand on their shoulders.”
In a follow-up tweet, she added: “Those before me have given me the courage to reach into the recesses of my mind and confront the monster that I escaped from decades ago. Together, our voices tell a different truth.”
Those before me have given me the courage to reach into the recesses of my mind and confront the monster that I escaped from decades ago. Together, our voices tell a different truth @TushitaPatel @SuparnaSharma @priyaramani @ghazalawahab
— Pallavi Gogoi (@pgogoi) November 1, 2018
My story https://t.co/DG5dT7TEUU
She tagged the Twitter accounts of women who have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the recent past.
Akbar resigned from his position as the Minister of state for external affairs in October and is currently pursuing a defamation case against one of the accusers: journalist Priya Ramani.
The Washington Post article by Gogoi quoted Akbar’s lawyer, Sandeep Kapur, as saying that his client expressly denied the allegations.
Statement from M J Akbar
Akbar later spoke with Indian news agency ANI, claiming that his relationship with Gogoi was consensual.
On 2 Nov, 2018, the Washington Post ran a piece written by Ms. Pallavi Gogoi, detailing false allegations of rape and violence against me. I have had occasion to read this article and it has become necessary, at this point in time, to bring certain facts to light: MJ Akbar to ANI
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018
Somewhere around 1994, Ms. Pallavi Gogoi&I entered into consensual relationship that spanned several months.This relationship gave rise to talk &would later cause strife in my home life as well. This consensual relationship ended, perhaps not on best note: MJ Akbar to ANI
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018
Ppl who worked with me&knew both of us have indicated that they would be happy to bear testimony to what is stated above&at no stage, did the behavior of Pallavi Gogoi, give any one of them impression that she was working under duress: MJ Akbar's statement to ANI
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018
The news agency also quoted Akbar's wife, Mallika Akbar, making a statement in support of her husband.
I don't know Pallavi's reasons for telling this lie, but a lie it is: #MJAkbar's wife Mallika Akbar to ANI on journalist Pallavi Gogoi's rape allegations in the Washington Post against her husband pic.twitter.com/SFws1TwWhx
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018
However, social media users commented that the allegations were serious enough to warrant action from the authorities.
Tweep @Ish_Bhandari wrote: “Reading account of rape allegations on M J Akbar. If the lady had told her friends 20 years ago as she says in the article, then it is an extremely serious case and on [filing a] complaint, an FIR will be registered.”
While Akbar continues to be a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP], leaders from the party have stayed away from commenting on the allegations. However, PVS Sarma, vice-president of BJP in the city of Surat, took to Twitter to demand his exit from the party.
He wrote: “MJ Akbar’s continuance in the party is not tenable after so many women alleged him of rape, assault and sexual exploitation. He may not have been in the BJP during that period but he is alleged to have misused his authority as editor and exploited young women who looked up to him!”
MJ Akbar's continuance in the party is not tenable after so many women alleged him of rape, assault and sexual exploitation.
— pvs sarma (@pvssarma) November 2, 2018
He may not have been in BJP during that period but he is alleged to have misused his authority as editor and exploited young women who looked up to him!