New Delhi: The Opposition Congress on Wednesday demanded the resignation of former journalist and Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar who has been accused of sexually harassing woman journalists during his time in the media.

“Union Minister MJ Akbar, accused by women journalists of sex harassment in a spiralling #MeToo movement in India, should resign and be investigated,” Congress said in a statement.

Veteran Congress leader Jaipal Reddy told Gulf News that Akbar should either come out with a satisfactory explanation or immediately resign from the post in the government.

“MJ Akbar has the stature of being a veteran journalist in addition to being junior External Affairs Minister. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj could not comment on her own subordinate today. We demand an inquiry into the allegations,” Reddy said.

Akbar has been accused of sexual harassment by at least four women journalists. He was first called out by senior journalist Priya Ramani, who had last year written about his “inappropriate behaviour” without taking his name.

On Tuesday, she confirmed that the allegation was against Akbar.

“MJ Akbar is an expert on obscene phone calls, texts, inappropriate compliments and not taking no for an answer,” Ramani had written in her article for Vogue magazine.

Detailing an incident, she said Akbar had called her for a job interview to a south Mumbai hotel when she was 23 and he was 43.

“He did not meet me in the hotel lobby and insisted that we meet him in his room. There, he offered me a drink. Although I refused, he drank vodka, sang old songs to me and asked me to sit close to him,” Ramani tweeted.

After Ramani’s revelation, several other woman journalists came forward with similar stories about Akbar “conducting interviews” in hotel rooms.

Akbar, who has been the editor of prominent newspapers such as The Telegraph, The Sunday Guardian and Asian Age, is a member of Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He has not yet reacted to the controversy.

Expressing concern over the issue, Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari said silence is not an option for the government.

“We would like to hear from both the minister in question and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue,” Tiwari told media.

Congress also targeted Swaraj for her silence on the issue.

“We had hoped that women cutting across political lines will come out in support of these brave women who have now come out and revealed their ordeal and tragic stories. Unfortunately, Sushma Swaraj, to whom many look up to for inspiration, has chosen to stay quiet,” Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi also demanded an investigation into the matter.

“There should be an investigation. Men in position of power often do this. This applies to media, politics and seniors working in companies. Now that women have started speaking out, we should take it seriously,” Gandhi told Gulf News.

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Party (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi condemned Akbar for his alleged misconduct.

“It is horrible. This bloody perpetrator MJ Akbar, shame on you. You stood in Parliament during ‘triple talaq’ Bill and spoke about Muslim women empowerment and to stop their exploitation. The Prime Minister Office should sack him,” he tweeted.