#MeToo in India: Swati Maliwal calls for MJ Akbar's resignation, says it is 'shameful' that he continues to be a minister

New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Thursday called for Union Minister MJ Akbar’s resignation in view of allegations of sexual misconduct and also urged women to speak the truth in the #MeToo campaign. [caption id=“attachment_3268802” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Swati Maliwal. PTI[/caption] Speaking on the charges against Union Minister MJ Akbar made by women journalists, she said: “It is shameful that Akbar continues to be a minister. Ten women have complained. Are all of them lying? The case should at least be investigated.” She added: “A movement like #MeToo won’t lose credibility any time in the future. Even if in the course of law, there is no evidence, the society will know that this kind of harassment is existing… is rampant.” “At the same time, it is crucial for women to be true. I would really urge women to tell the truth and only the truth and speak out as much as they can. It is a responsibility on us,” Maliwal said while answering a question raised by IANS during a press conference organised at Indian Women’s Press Conference. “I salute the courage of all the #MeToo activists. It is not easy. It is a very difficult journey.” She stressed on the need to monitor the functioning of Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) at workplaces. “The law was not being implemented properly. It took me six months to set up local committees. There is a need to have better monitoring. Many of the offices didn’t even have ICCs earlier. They now need to be strengthened. “They should work with complete independence. There should be no pressure on them,” she said. Maliwal said that in the past three years, 55,000 general complaints of all kinds of crimes against Women, from harassment to rape to domestic violence, had been made.