NEW DELHI: Highly-placed government sources claimed that Union Minister of State for External Affairs (MoS) MJ Akbar, who has been accused of sexual molestation by several women, won't be asked to leave.
According to sources the government is of the view that asking Akbar to resign over #MeToo allegations will send an awful signal as this comes just a few months ahead of the crucial Lok Sbha Elections next year.
Although the party appears to be on bad terms over Akbar but a section of its leaders feel that the minister should be given a fair chance to present his side while others in the party feel that Akbar should be asked to leave saving the party from further shame as it was harmful on BJP's well-known stand on women's protection and empowerment.
Defending himself, Akbar has denied all allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by a number of women and he termed accusations as "false, made-up and extremely sad and warned that he will take appropriate legal action against them.
Earlier 67-year-old Akbar Minister of State for External Affairs issued a statement after retuning from his Niagara trip. He virtually rejecting calls for his resignation from the post and seeking to connect the allegations in opposition to him to the upcoming general elections.
There have been rising demands for his elimination from the Union Council of Ministers after several women, as part of the #MeToo movement in India, came out with accounts of alleged sexual molestation by him when he was a journalist.