One more woman journalist has accused the former minister of the State for External Affairs — MJ Akbar — of sexual misconduct when she had joined The Asian Age in 90’s. The victim, who is currently an editor at the National Public Radio, (NPR) has written her ordeal in a column published by The Washington Post.
The victim — Pallavi Gogoi — a US-based, Indian born woman always wanted to work with leading editor, MJ Akbar. But she had zilch idea, that the accused editor turned politician will give her most painful memories of her life.
Recalling the horrific incident, which is said to have taken place when she was 22-year-old, she said that she was ‘star-struck’ when she joined The Asian Age’s Delhi office, she added.
“I was mesmerised by his use of language, his turns of phrase, wishing that I could write like he did. So I took all the verbal abuse. After all, I was learning from the best. Or so I thought,” she wrote.
In 1994, Akbar ‘applauded her efforts and suddenly lunged to kiss’ her. The journalist recalls that she was left ‘red-faced, confused, ashamed, destroyed’ by his act.
After reading allegations of several journalists against MJ Akbar, Gogoi gathered courage to speak up about her incident.
In just a span of a few months, the second incident took place in Mumbai where she says Akbar ‘came close to me to kiss me’. When she ‘fought him and pushed him away’, Akbar ended up scratching her face.
She alleged that, when she returned to Delhi, Akbar threatened to kick her out of the job if she resists him again. The third incident took place when she was called by Akbar, who was in Jaipur, to ‘discuss a story’ in his hotel room where he eventually assaulted and raped her.
“In his hotel room, even though I fought him, he was physically more powerful. He ripped off my clothes and raped me,” the journalist wrote.
The journalist, who did not tell anyone about the incident, said ‘instead of reporting him to the police, I was filled with shame.’ She added that she became helpless and Akbar ‘continued to defile her’ for a few months.
Leaving from the country could not end her assault, he continued even when she moved to the London office where Akbar ‘hit her and went on a rampage, throwing things’. The journalist confided in her family and friends and left The Asian Age soon after.
The journalist says she wrote the column to ‘support the many women who have come out to tell their truth’.
Notably, MJ Akbar resigned from the post of a junior foreign minister on October 17 and filed a lawsuit against journalist Priya Ramani for outing him.
Also Read: #MeToo: Ramani defamed me by calling me ‘talented predator’, says MJ Akbar in Court