Allegations of sexual harassment should be taken seriously: Minister Maneka Gandhi

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has said the allegations of sexual harassment against anybody should be taken seriously as women are often scared to speak out. Her reaction comes amid Union minister and former editor M J Akbar facing serious allegations of sexual harassment during his stint as a journalist.
Six women journalists have come on record to accuse Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour when he worked as a newspaper editor. Accusers include journalists Priya Ramani, Kanika Gahlaut, Suparna Sharma, Shuma Raha, Prerna Singh Bindra and Shutapa Paul.”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,” Gandhi told a TV news channel here on October 9.
She said when women have started taking, their allegations should be taken seriously. “Women are scared to speak out because they think people would make fun of them and doubt their character but now when they are speaking out we should take action against each and every allegation,” she said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on October 9 evaded questions whether the government will take any action against the Union minister. The #MeToo movement has intensified in the country with more women recounting their experiences of sexual harassment in the entertainment and media industry.