Union minister Ramdas Athawale calls for investigation on MoS MJ Akbar, says 'he should resign if found guilty'

Becoming the first minister from the government to openly speak on the allegations against MJ Akbar, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has stated that should the Minister of State for External Affairs be found guilty, he should then 'resign'.

Speaking to ANI, "We should listen to his statement. Presently he is out of India. Investigation should happen and if he is found guilty, then he should step down. The complaints by the women are serious, but I feel it is necessary to listen once to MJ Akbar. Police should conduct an investigation and if he is found guilty, then he should resign."

Ramdas Athawale is the only minister from the present government to openly take a stand on this matter. Prior to him, the other three Union ministers - Smriti Irani, Maneka Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj - chose to not divulge much into the allegations.

Textiles minister Smriti Irani, when asked to speak on this topic, did not take any stand, and instead put the onus on the minister himself to defend the allegations against him. She said, 

"I will only say this that the gentleman concerned would be better positioned to speak on this issue. I appreciate the media is accosting his female colleague but I think it is for him to issue a statement, not for me, because I was personally not present there. But I have said again and again that anyone speaking out, in no way should be shamed." 

Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi also did not directly answer the questions posed to her, but did say that investigation needs to be done, without taking the name of MJ Akbar.

"Men who are in positions of power often do this. And it applies to the media as well as to politics or senior personnel in companies," she told a TV news channel on Tuesday.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who was the first minister from the government to be quizzed on this matter, decided to walk away tight lipped when a question on the allegations against MJ Akbar was raised.

READ: Union Minister Smriti Irani Urges MoS MJ Akbar To Break His Silence On Allegations Of Sexual Harassment, Says 'it Is For Him To Break Silence, Not Me'

Even the MEA sources did not comment on the allegations against the minister, indicating that the matter was of a 'personal nature', and that it had occurred prior to him becoming a part of the government.