The Network of Women in Media, India has expressed strong opposition to the inclusion of former Union Minister MJ Akbar in an all-party delegation visiting Europe. The delegation is part of India’s international outreach following Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
In a statement issued on May 18, NWMI highlighted that Operation Sindoor was presented as a mission to protect the honour and dignity of Indian women.
“In light of this framing, the inclusion in such a delegation of a figure like MJ Akbar, with a history of serious allegations of sexual harassment, risks sending a regressive signal to survivors of sexual harassment and diminishes India’s credibility on issues of gender justice,” the statement said.
It added that Akbar’s presence in the delegation “risks sending a regressive signal to survivors of sexual harassment and diminishes India’s credibility on issues of gender justice,” the statement read.
NWMI urged the withdrawal of MJ Akbar from the delegation to ensure that India’s representatives truly reflect the values of dignity, respect, and justice for women.
In 2018, during India’s #MeToo movement, at least 20 women, many of them journalists, accused MJ Akbar of sexual harassment and misconduct. Journalist Priya Ramani alleged that Akbar had behaved inappropriately during a job interview in the 1990s. Akbar responded by filing a criminal defamation case against her.
In February 2021, a Delhi court acquitted Ramani, stating that “a woman has the right to put her grievance at any platform of her choice even after decades”. The court emphasised that the right to reputation cannot be protected at the cost of the right to dignity. This verdict was hailed as a landmark for women’s rights and workplace safety in India.
Despite the court's decision, Akbar filed an appeal, which is currently pending in the Delhi High Court.
Newslaundry has reported in detail on the allegations against Akbar and the defamation proceedings against Ramani. Read our reportage here.
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