Remove sexual harassment accused MJ Akbar from Op Sindoor delegation: NWMI
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New Delhi: The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) came out in protest against the Modi government’s inclusion of journalist MJ Akbar in the all-party delegation formed after Operation Sindoor, The News Minute reported.
The delegation including several opposition leaders is set to visit multiple countries for presenting India’s firm stance against terrorism, giving the world a strong message of zero tolerance against it.
However, NWMI pointed out that inclusion of MJ Akbar who is accused by multiple women including journalists of sexual harassment could undermine ‘the values India seeks to project abroad’.
In a statement NWMI further said that MJ Akbar’s presence in the delegation risks sending what it said ‘a regressive signal to survivors of sexual harassment’, adding that the move ‘diminishes India’s credibility on issues of gender justice’.
It is all the more so considering that fact that Operation Sindoor is meant to protect the honour and dignity of Indian women, according to the statement.
Referencing the #MeToo movement in 2018, NWMI said that many women journalists accused MJ Akbar of sexual harassment and/or assault with ‘at least 20 women ready to testify against him’.
‘These allegations are detailed, and have been widely reported and acknowledged, with Akbar losing a defamation case he filed against one of his accusers. The court’s verdict in that case in February 2021 was hailed as a landmark for women’s rights and workplace safety in India,’ the statement reportedly said.
Concluding the statement, NWMI urged authorities to remove MJ Akbar from the delegation in order to ‘ensure that India’s representatives truly reflect the values of dignity, respect, and justice for women’.