Govt's silence on sexual harassment charges against M J Akbar unacceptable: AIDWA

The government's silence on allegations of sexual harassment against Union minister M J Akbar is "unacceptable", the All India Democratic Women's Association said Wednesday.

Expressing concern over reports on sexual abuse and trauma a number of women in media have suffered, the women's wing of CPI(M) demanded that the Modi government ensure effective implementation of the stringent laws on sexual harassment at workplace.

"Such indifference to the plight of women who are subjected to sexual harassment is a telling indictment of the Modi government, and its attitude to women's rights.

"The BJP government has maintained an unacceptable silence on the issue of allegations of sexual harassment made against many leading personalities, including its own minister, M J Akbar," said AIDWA in a statement.

It claimed there was no move to rein in the BJP leader who has publicly denounced women coming out with their traumatic experiences as profiteers aiming to make money through the accusations.

BJP's Dalit leader Udit Raj had criticised the #MeToo movement, alleging that the women who were outing their attackers were out to make money.

"We condemn the attempts at character assassination and abusive trolling on the social media that seek to discredit the complainants, and browbeat them into continued silence," it said.

The women's organisation said the voices of the alleged victims need to be responded to by the legal system as well as by the society, "to ensure that sexual predators who have largely been enjoying impunity in the prevalent male dominant power structure, are made accountable for their actions."