#MeToo: US based journalist alleges rape accusation against former minister MJ Akbar, says, 'Akbar ripped off my clothes, raped me'

Amidst the #MeToo campaign growing in India, the allegations against former Union Minister MJ Akbar has emerged from a US based Indian journalist, who has claimed that the former editor allegedly raped her.

The Editor-turned-politician MJ Akbar, who resigned last month from the post of Minister of State for External Affairs, was alleged to be involved in sexual harassment of more than 15 journalists and colleagues, who had come out in open regarding the misconduct of Akbar.

Later on, MJ Akbar moved Delhi’s Patiala House Court filing a case of defamation against the journalist and the hearing in the case has begun. The minister was on an official foreign trip while the allegations surfaced against him, and he drew a lot of flak from the critics and women’s group for his conduct and not resigning immediately from the post.

The US based journalist has alleged that while MJ Akbar was the Editor-in-chief of The Asian Age newspaper, “he raped me and tore my dress apart.” “She says she was "mesmerized by his use of language and his turns of phrase" and took all the "verbal abuse" as part of the learning process.

She added that, “he applauded my effort and suddenly lunged to kiss me. I reeled. I emerged from the office, red-faced, confused, ashamed, destroyed.”

The journalist tweeted saying, “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.”

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