#MeToo: 'MJ Akbar grabbed me and forced his tongue into my mouth,' claims CNN journalist in MeToo row against BJP minister
After several Indian journalists opened up on sexual assault they had to face several years back by the former senior editor, now a US-based journalist has accused Minister of State External Affairs MJ Akbar of sexual harassment.
CNN journalist Majlie de Puy Kamp has revealed that she was sexually harassed by Akbar in 2007 when she was an 18-year-old intern.
As per a report by Huffington Post, Kamp was interning at the Asian Age newspaper under the then journalist Akbar. The incident happened on the last day of her internship when she went to Akbar to thank him for the opportunity.
She said that as she extended her hand for gratitude Akbar "grabbed her right under shoulders, on arms. [He] pulled me in and kissed me on my mouth and forced his tongue into my mouth, and I just stood there, she said.
Sharing the incident on Twitter as well, Kamp wrote: "I extended my hand to him in gratitude, he shoved his 55-year-old tongue down my 18-year-old throat."
Union Minister Akbar is under the radar over allegations on of sexually assaulting as part of the #MeToo campaign by women journalist in the past. Controversy is surrounding BJP and its junior foreign minister. Responding on the ongoing allegations against MJ Akbar, BJP chief Amit Shah has said that the party will have to verify the authenticity of the allegations against Akbar.
"Dekhna padega ki yeh sach hai ya galat (We will have to see if the allegations are true or false)," Shah said.
Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi on Friday announced that the Centre will be setting up a four-member committee to examine all #MeToo cases.
First published: 13 October 2018, 16:22 IST